International Criminal Court seeks war crimes charges for Israeli and Hamas leaders

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• Amna Nawaz:

  In an unprecedented announcement: The International Criminal Court today said it was seeking warrants to arrest not only the leaders of Hamas, but also the elected leadership of Israel, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

• Geoff Bennett:

  President Biden called it outrageous, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a — quote — "blood libel."

  But prosecutor Karim Khan defended his decision.

  Nick Schifrin starts our coverage.

• Karim Khan, Prosecutor, International Criminal Court:

  My office charges Netanyahu and Gallant as co-perpetrators.

• Nick Schifrin:

  From The Hague today, devastating and divisive allegations by International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan, accusing Israel of — quote — "intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population" and — quote — "starvation of civilians" as a method of warfare and requesting arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

• Karim Khan:

  These individuals, through a common plan, have systematically deprived the civilian population of Gaza of objects indispensable to human survival.

• Nick Schifrin:

  At the same time, the ICC also seeks arrest warrants for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and military branch leader Mohammed Deif on the right, both of whom are hiding in Gaza, and political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh, who lives openly in Qatar, for killing more than 1,200 and kidnapping more than 250 on October 7.

• Karim Khan:

  There are reasonable grounds to believe that these three Hamas leaders are criminally responsible for the killing of Israeli civilians in attacks perpetrated by Hamas and other armed groups on the 7th of October 2023.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Israeli and U.S. officials argued the ICC had no jurisdiction, especially during ongoing domestic Israeli investigations.

  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the announcement and Khan himself outrageous.

• Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister:

  Through this incendiary decision, Mr. Khan takes his place among the great antisemites in modern times. He now stands alongside those infamous German judges who donned their robes and upheld laws that denied the Jewish people their most basic rights and enabled the Nazis to perpetrate the worst crime in history.

• Nick Schifrin:

  The announcement united usually fractious Israeli politicians. More than 100 lawmakers condemned the ICC, as did opposition leader Yair Lapid.

• Yair Lapid, Former Israeli Prime Minister (through interpreter):

  It's unforgivable. We have and we are managing a just war. And it needs to be clear that we won't stay silent over it.

• Nick Schifrin:

  President Biden also called the announcement outrageous and said: "There is no equivalence, none, between Israel and Hamas."

  Hamas also condemned — quote — "the attempts by the ICC's public prosecutor to equate the victim with the executioner." A panel of judges will now decide whether to issue the warrants that Khan requested today.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Nick Schifrin.

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