London-based legal groups are pushing for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, including starvation as a weapon of war. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is considering applications for arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The high volume of applications challenging the court’s jurisdiction has delayed the decision.
The legal groups assert that the ICC has authority over Israeli nationals, despite Israel not being a member of the court. They argue that the court can intervene when national legal systems fail to prosecute alleged crimes. Israel’s low prosecution rate for abuses against Palestinians has raised concerns.
Recent accusations against Israel include war crimes in Gaza, such as starving the population, targeting civilians, and using torture. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has applied for arrest warrants against Israeli and Hamas leaders for war crimes, including using starvation as a weapon of war and wilful killing.