The government in Tel Aviv has cast a cautious eye toward The Hague, Netherlands, home of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has requested arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. They are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
Khan also requested arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders — Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismael Haniyeh — on similar charges related to the Islamist militant group's October 7 attacks on Israel.
The International Criminal Court only investigates individuals and only becomes active when a person is suspected of being responsible for one of four core crimes: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, or starting a war of aggression.
The ICC has in fact been looking into possible war crimes committed by Israel since 2021. At the same time, the court has also been investigating similar accusations leveled against Hamas fighters. Moreover, investigations are currently ongoing in regard to acts of violence committed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Recent developments in the war between Israel and Hamas are all being considered in........