The International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested classified arrest warrants for several Israeli officials, Haaretz reported, citing a diplomatic source. According to the Israeli publication, the matter may concern two politicians and two military officials. Their names are not officially disclosed, and the timing of the possible issuance of warrants is unknown.
Earlier media also reported that the ICC prosecutor’s office was studying the possibility of bringing cases against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
The ICC statute does not oblige to inform suspects of warrants in advance. According to Haaretz’s interlocutors, secrecy makes suspects more likely to be detained, but public warrants allow politicians to avoid travelling to countries where they could be arrested.
In late 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. They are suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes from 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024 – during the military operation in the Gaza Strip. The court said at the time that the crimes included mass starvation, murder, persecution and deliberate attacks on civilians.
The Israeli operation began in Gaza after the 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas, which is recognised as a terrorist group in the US and the European Union. Jihadists killed more than 1,000 people then, and more than 250 were taken hostage and flown to Gaza.