ICC Prosecutors Request Orders To Arrest Israeli PM-Menhan And Three Hamas Leaders

JAKARTA - Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Karim Kahn said on Monday he had requested an arrest warrant from a court judge for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Kahn said the charges were aimed at crimes "corresponding to culling, causing hunger as a method of war including the rejection of humanitarian aid supplies, deliberately targeting civilians in conflict," the Times of Israel said on May 20.

In addition to the two, Kahn said he also issued arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammad Def and Ismail Haniyeh.

"We have submitted a warrant to the pretrial panel of international criminal courts in connection with three members of Hamas," Kahn said of Sinwar, Def and Haniyeh.

He said they would be charged with destroying, killing, hostage-taking, rape and sexual assault in detention.

"The world was shocked on October 7 when people were kicked out of their bedrooms, from their homes, from various kibbutzim in Israel," Khan told CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

He added that the panel of ICC judges will now consider Khan's request for an arrest warrant.