The Hague, Netherlands — Something big just happened in the world of justice.
On Wednesday, judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) said NO to Israel’s request to cancel the arrest warrants for its top leaders. These include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Israel wanted the court to drop the warrants while they tried to prove the court doesn’t even have the power to judge what’s happening in the Gaza war. But the ICC judges refused, saying the arrest warrants will stay in place for now.
⚖️ What’s This All About?
Back in November 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for:
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
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Former Israeli Defense Chief Yoav Gallant
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Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri (also known as Mohammed Deif)
They were accused of serious crimes in the war in Gaza, including war crimes and crimes against humanity — things like harming civilians or not following international rules during wartime.
Later in February, the ICC dropped the warrant for the Hamas leader because there were strong reports that he had died.
🛑 Israel Says ICC Has No Right to Interfere
Israel doesn’t believe the Hague-based court (ICC) has the right to investigate or charge them. The country says it’s simply defending itself against Hamas, a group that attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and that no war crimes were committed.
Their lawyers argued that since there’s an ongoing review about whether the ICC even has jurisdiction (or authority) over them, the arrest warrants should be paused or removed. But the judges didn’t agree.
👩⚖️ ICC Judges: The Warrants Stay
The ICC judges rejected Israel’s argument. They said the issue about whether the court has the right to issue the warrants is still being studied, and until there’s an official ruling, the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant will stay active.
As of now, there is no clear date for when the court will make a final decision on whether they can legally judge Israel’s actions.
🇺🇸 U.S. Joins the Fight—But Against the ICC
In another dramatic twist, the United States took a rare step in June: it punished four ICC judges by placing sanctions on them. Why? Because they were involved in the court’s move to go after Netanyahu. That’s never happened before.
Even more dramatic: two of those sanctioned judges are part of the team that just said the arrest warrants against Israel’s leaders should stay in place.
🎯 What Happens Now?
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The ICC continues its investigation into the war in Gaza.
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The arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are still valid.
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The world is watching closely — including governments, lawyers, and human rights groups.
This is more than a courtroom battle. It’s a clash between global justice and political power, and no one knows how it will end just yet.
