The Palestinian Hamas militia hailed the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant as a historic step.
Hamas described the decision as “a significant historical precedent” that rectifies a long-standing injustice against Palestinians.
The US had spent months trying to prevent the move against the two “terrorists” Netanyahu and Gallant by “terrorizing” the court and its judge, Hamas said.
The Palestinian militia did not comment on the arrest warrant also issued against its military leader Mohammed Deif, who is believed to have masterminded the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Israel said it killed Deif in a Gaza airstrike in July.
Hamas also called on the ICC to expand its investigation against “all criminal leaders of the occupation” to include ministers and officers who “have shed the blood of our Palestinian people.”
Hamas triggered the Gaza war with its brutal assault in southern Israel on October 7 last year. In response, Israel launched a military campaign that has caused widespread devastation across the coastal strip.
