Biden calls ICC decision ‘outrageous’
We’re now hearing from US President Joe Biden, who calls the International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant “outrageous”.
Process to decide on warrants could take weeks
Starvation as a weapon of warfare and military attacks on civilians are among the alleged crimes committed by Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, while the allegations against Hamas include the taking of hostages, rape and other sexual violence.
Based on evidence including “interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses, and authenticated video, photo and audio material”, the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said “Israel has intentionally and systematically deprived the civilian population in all parts of Gaza of objects indispensable to human survival”.
Khan alleged the Hamas leaders were responsible for the planning and instigation of the 7 October attacks.
He is confident the threshold for a realistic prospect of conviction has been met.
The ICC’s panel of pre-trial judges must now decide whether they agree before warrants can be issued. This process could take weeks.
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