Israel’s defence minister has again issued criticism of the international criminal court (ICC) decision to seek arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Hamas figures involved in the conflict in Gaza, saying that the move was an “attempt to deny the state of Israel the right to defend itself”.
In a lengthy post on social media, Yoav Gallant, one of those named by the IIC chief prosecutor, said
The state of Israel has been fighting since 7 October a murderous and bloodthirsty enemy, who has committed atrocities against Israeli women, children and men, and now uses its his own people as a human shield. The IDF fights in accordance with the rules of international law, taking unique humanitarian efforts the likes of which have not been taken in any armed conflict.
The [ICC] prosecutor’s parallel between the terrorist organization Hamas and the state of Israel is despicable and disgusting. The state of Israel is not a party to the court and does not recognise its authority. Prosecutor Karim Khan’s attempt to deny the state of Israel the right to defend itself and release its abductees must be rejected outright.
Benjamin Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of extermination, causing starvation as a method of war, the denial of humanitarian relief supplies and deliberately targeting civilians. Hamas leaders and officials Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyehwere named by the court as being wanted for crimes of extermination, murder, hostage taking, rape, sexual assault and torture. Israel’s president Isaac Herzog yesterday described the court’s action as “one-sided” and in “bad faith”.
