Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against him, calling the actions “absurd and false” and stating that Israel “rejects with disgust” the charges.
In a statement from his office, Netanyahu defended Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, asserting, “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.”
The ICC issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, a former Israeli defence minister, and several Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 13-month Gaza conflict and the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
The move designates Netanyahu and others as internationally wanted figures, potentially complicating diplomatic negotiations, though its impact may be limited since Israel and its ally, the United States, do not recognise the ICC.
Some of the Hamas officials named in the warrant were reported killed during the conflict. Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have harshly criticised the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, labelling the actions as antisemitic.
Joe Biden also rejected the ICC’s actions, affirming Israel’s right to self-defence. Hamas dismissed the warrants as biased and baseless.