21 May 2024: In response to the issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Military Affairs Minister Yoav Gallant, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas criticized the ICC’s actions on Monday. The group stated that the arrest warrants came seven months too late, during which time the Israeli occupation committed numerous crimes against Palestinian civilians, including children, women, doctors, and journalists, and destroyed private and public property, mosques, churches, and hospitals.
The resistance movement strongly denounced the ICC’s attempts to equate the victim with the executioner by issuing arrest warrants against several Palestinian resistance leaders. Expressing dissatisfaction over the issuance of arrest warrants against only two Israeli war criminals, Hamas political bureau member Dr. Basem Naim argued that the Public Prosecutor should have issued arrest and detention orders against all officials from the occupation who gave orders, as well as soldiers who participated in committing crimes in accordance with Articles 25, 27, and 28 of the Rome Statute. These clauses emphasize the individual criminal responsibility of any official, commander, or person who ordered, instigated, committed, aided, or assisted in the commission of such crimes, or failed to take measures to prevent them.
Dr. Naim asserted that Netanyahu and Gallant were proven to be involved in committing crimes of genocide, aggression, and crimes against humanity against the Palestinian people. He emphasized that the ICC’s attempts to equate Palestinian resistance leaders with Israeli war criminals lack a legal basis and violate international conventions and resolutions that grant the Palestinian people and all peoples under occupation the right to resist occupation in all forms, including armed resistance, as stipulated in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
Hamas demands that the ICC Public Prosecutor issue arrest and detention orders against all war criminals, including occupation leaders, officers, and soldiers who were involved in crimes against the Palestinian people. They also demand the cancellation of all arrest warrants issued against Palestinian resistance leaders for violating UN conventions and resolutions.
Since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza in early October, over 80% of the 2.3 million people living there have been forced from their homes. Numerous towns and cities have suffered significant damage, and over 35,560 people have died throughout the enclave.
