Fri Nov 22 07:50:41 UTC 2024: ## Netanyahu Defiant After ICC Warrants for Gaza Actions

**Jerusalem, November 22, 2024** – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to defy arrest warrants issued against him and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrants, issued Thursday, accuse both men of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s actions in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attack.

The ICC alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for war crimes, including starvation as a method of warfare, as well as crimes against humanity such as murder and persecution. The court also issued a warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, although his death has been reported by Israeli authorities and not confirmed by Hamas.

Netanyahu denounced the ICC’s decision in a video statement, calling it a “dark day in the history of nations” and accusing the court of bias and antisemitism. He insisted that Israel’s actions were justified self-defense and that the accusations are baseless. Current Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed this sentiment, labelling the warrants a “moral disgrace” that serves the interests of Iran.

President Isaac Herzog also condemned the ICC’s decision, stating that it “ignores the plight of the 101 Israeli hostages” and sides with terrorism over democracy. He characterized the warrants as a “dark day for justice and humanity.”

The conflict began in October 2023 with a Hamas cross-border attack that killed 1,206 Israelis, mostly civilians. Israel’s subsequent retaliatory campaign has resulted in the deaths of an estimated 44,056 Palestinians in Gaza, the majority of whom were civilians according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN has warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to the conflict. The high civilian death toll on both sides continues to fuel international outrage and calls for accountability. The ICC’s action marks a significant escalation in the international legal battle surrounding the Gaza conflict.

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