InternationalInternational Court Issues Warrants for Israeli, Hamas LeadersWhat's going on: The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior Hamas leader Mohammed Deif for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of “starvation as a method of warfare” for depriving Gaza civilians of basic survival necessities like food, medicine, and electricity. Hamas’s Military Chief (who Israel says was killed in an IDF strike in July) is charged for his part in orchestrating the October 7 attacks that included murder, torture, kidnapping, and sexual violence. This is the first time the ICC has issued arrest warrants for a leader of a major US ally. Israel rejected the charges, calling them “false and absurd.” Netanyahu said the warrant will not stop him from “continuing to defend” Israel. Tell me more: Analysts largely see the warrants as both a symbolic move and a diplomatic landmark, likely to increase international pressure on Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza. Technically, Netanyahu and Gallant now face the risk of arrest if they travel to any of the 124 countries that are party to the statute establishing the court — many of which are Israel’s Western allies. However, they would be safe on US soil, since the US is not a member of the ICC. In response, the White House rejected the court's decision, saying, “We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.” Some US lawmakers, including incoming Senate majority leader John Thune (R-SD), have also threatened sanctions against the ICC. Related: What Trump’s Pick for Ambassador to Israel Could Tell Us About His Israel Policy (BBC) | 
