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The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas officials over war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict
Netanyahu rejected the charges, calling them "false" and "absurd."
Role of International Institutions and Issues Related to War Crimes
The ICC is responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of committing serious international crimes, such as war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity.
It operates when national courts are unable or unwilling to prosecute these crimes.
The ICC's involvement highlights the enforcement of international humanitarian law (IHL), which protects civilians during armed conflicts.
Violations of IHL, like deliberately depriving civilians of necessities (food, medicine, etc.), are considered war crimes.
Challenges and Criticism
Israel and the U.S. are not ICC members, meaning they do not recognize the court's jurisdiction. This limits the practical impact of the arrest warrants.
The warrants can increase international isolation for accused leaders, but enforcement is difficult without global cooperation.
Both Israeli leaders and Hamas have condemned the ICC's actions, with Israel accusing the court of bias and Hamas rejecting the warrants.
Meanwhile, U.S. support for Israel complicates international efforts to hold individuals accountable.
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