The absurd International Criminal Court (ICC) is treating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the same as the military leader of the terrorist group Hamas. The court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Netanyahu and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, accusing both of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza, which began more than a year ago.

The Associated Press reports ICC’s charges against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant center on allegations that Israel used food as a weapon during its campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Israeli’s vehemently deny the claim and there has been proof that Hamas has withheld U.N. aid and food from Gazan civilians; Hunger in Gaza has reportedly reached critical levels.

In defense of Israel’s actions, and his own, “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza,” Netanyahu said in a statement condemning the warrants. He called the court’s actions “absurd and false.”

The ICC also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, accusing him of crimes including murder, torture, rape, and the taking of hostages during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and led to 250 hostages being taken.

Human rights groups welcomed the ICC’s actions. Balkees Jarrah of Human Rights Watch said the warrants “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law.”

Israel, however, rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction. Israeli leaders and U.S. officials argue the court has no authority over Israel, as it is not a member state of the ICC. Defense Minister Israel Katz denounced the decision as a “moral disgrace,” calling it tainted by antisemitism.

Despite the warrants, the ICC has limited enforcement capabilities. Member states are obligated to detain suspects on their soil, but cooperation is not guaranteed.

The warrants complicate travel for Netanyahu and Gallant, even to allies like France or Britain. French officials indicated they might enforce the warrant if Netanyahu visited. “Combating impunity is our priority,” said a French Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Israel’s opposition leaders fiercely criticized the ICC’s move. Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, said it showed “moral blindness” and was a “shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.”

Yair Lapid, another opposition leader, called it a “prize for terror.”

The Associated Press adds that soon after Israel launched its campaign vowing to destroy Hamas after the October attacks, it announced a total seal on Gaza, vowing not to let in food, water or other supplies. Under U.S. pressure, it began allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid to enter a few weeks later. The campaign has caused heavy destruction across Gaza and driven almost the entire population of 2.3 million people from their homes, leaving most dependent on humanitarian aid to survive.

Israel now says it puts no limit on the amount of supplies into Gaza. Still, the flow of food and other goods is at nearly the lowest levels of the war, and the U.N. and other groups have said Israeli military restrictions are largely to blame, along with widespread lawlessness that has led to theft of aid shipments.



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