Israeli authorities are preparing for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to issue arrest warrants against the country's prime minister and other top officials over the military operation in the Gaza Strip, five knowledgeable sources told The New York Times.
According to the newspaper, The Hague will prepare documents for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and, probably, the Chief of General Staff as early as this week.
Israeli authorities may be accused of responding too harshly to the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.
The publication's sources in the Israeli government also believe that one of the probable reasons for issuing the warrants could be that the IDF allegedly deliberately starved the residents of Gaza, preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid.
At the same time, the court is considering issuing arrest warrants for Hamas leaders. However, it is unclear to whom they may be charged and for what crimes, NYT sources say.
Such a decision by the ICC will be perceived by the world community as a humiliating moral rebuke to Israel, which has faced criticism and negative international reaction throughout the military campaign in the Gaza Strip. It could also seriously affect the course of the war in the Gaza Strip, the publication said.
