ICC denies issuing new arrest warrants for 'Israeli' officials
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International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected a report claiming it issued new arrest warrants for five ‘Israeli’ political and force officials over crimes against Palestinians.
The denial comes after the ‘Israeli’ newspaper Haaretz published a report on Sunday stating that new warrants had been released.
ICC spokesperson Oriane Maillet cleared up the matter in a note to journalists, stating that the media report was not accurate.
"The court denies the issuance of new arrest warrants in the situation in the state of Palestine," Maillet said.
The rumor of new warrants gained rapid attention because the ICC has already taken historic legal action against ‘Israeli’ leadership.
Existing Warrants
In November 2024, the ICC officially issued arrest warrants for ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The court accused them of war crimes and crimes against humanity, specifically using starvation as a weapon of war, during the military campaign in Gaza.
Hamas Warrants
The ICC had also initially sought arrest warrants for top Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, following the October 7, 2023 attacks on 'Israel'. However, those cases were dropped after the individuals were killed.
What are "Secret" Warrants?
The Haaretz report caused a stir because the ICC sometimes issues warrants secretly (known as "under seal"). The court does this to protect witnesses and prevent suspects from running away before the warrants are made public.
Ultimately, while the ICC has clarified that no new warrants have been issued this week, the global focus on the court remains intense.
The initial 2024 warrants against ‘Israels’ top leadership stay active, limiting their international travel to the court's 125 member nations.
