The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant.
The ICC has rejected challenges from Israel and issued the warrants today.
In a statement released on the court’s website it said that the orders were “for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest”.
“The arrest warrants are classified as ‘secret’, in order to protect witnesses and to safeguard the conduct of the investigations.
“However, the Chamber decided to release the information below since conduct similar to that addressed in the warrant of arrest appears to be ongoing. Moreover, the Chamber considers it to be in the interest of victims and their families that they are made aware of the warrants’ existence,” the statement read.
On the 7 October 2023, following an attack on its territory by commandos from the armed wing of Hamas, Israel declared war on the Gaza-based organisation.
One year on, the war zone has expanded from the Gaza Strip to Lebanon. The tapestry of parties involved in this round of clashes: Israel, Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah, Yemeni Houthis, Iran, sparks fear of widespread regional unrest, the consequence of a colonial escalation of violence.
However, this outburst of violence cannot be understood without considering it within the context of a conflict that dates back more than 70 years, marked by repeated violations of international law, the expulsion and displacement of civilian populations as part of Israeli colonisation, and an endless succession of wars and outbreaks of violence between all the parties involved.
Throughout this conflict, atrocities have been committed by all sides.
At this stage, the consequences of the conflict are chilling. According to figures from UNICEF, the attack on 7 October left 5,400 people injured and 1,200 dead, including 37 children and 101 hostages have still not been released, including 2 children.
As a result of the bombardments and the war in Gaza, more than 100,000 people have been injured and more than 42,000 killed, including over 14,000 children.
According to the United Nations, 66% of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged. In Lebanon, again according to UNICEF, 5,000 people have been killed, including nearly 700 children, and around 1.2 million people have been displaced, including 400,000 children.
The humanitarian situation is now catastrophic everywhere.
Throughout the region war crimes are mounting sharply, while the international community (especially the states with influence) has failed to repeatedly condemn the situation and to take the necessary measures to bring it to an end.
It should be noted that on 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice recognised the existence of a ‘real and imminent risk that irreparable prejudice will be caused’ to the population of Gaza.
A few months later, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of ‘war crimes and crimes against humanity’ committed during military operations and attacks against Gaza since 7 October 2023.
However, these accusations are not having the desired effect. The number of victims is rising in both the West Bank and Gaza, and now it is the people of Lebanon who live in constant fear for their lives, as the Emmaus group present in the country can testify.
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