ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants for Hamas Leaders
The Hague, Netherlands—
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor on Monday said he has requested arrest warrants for senior Hamas leaders, including the group's political chief, Ismail Haniyeh.
Prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement that the warrants are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Gaza Strip and West Bank since 2014.
The ICC prosecutor's announcement drew swift condemnation from Israel, which has not ratified the ICC's Rome Statute and does not recognize its jurisdiction over the country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the warrants as "outrageous" and accused the ICC of "anti-Semitic bias."
The ICC's investigation into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing for several years, with the prosecutor's office collecting evidence of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both sides.
The decision to seek arrest warrants for Hamas leaders is a significant development in the investigation, and could lead to the first ICC trial of top Palestinian officials.
The Jerusalem Post
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