Why ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan Announced Applications for Arrest Warrants Concerning Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and others

It calls for concern what truly instigated ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to announce applications for arrest warrants in relation to Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif).

Nigeria News 247 gathered what could clear this confusion from the statement made by Karim Khan is the recent report he made concerning the same issue where he tendered some of the evidence he had gathered.

It is noteworthy that there are other applications for arrest warrants made against the Prime Minister of State of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Finance Minister of Israel, Bezalel Smotrich.

According to ICC prosecutor Karim Khan:

“On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Yahya SINWAR (Head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (“Hamas”) in the Gaza Strip), Mohammed Diab Ibrahim AL-MASRI, more commonly known as DEIF (Commander-in-Chief of the military wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades), and Ismail HANIYEH (Head of Hamas Political Bureau) bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 7 October 2023:

1. Extermination as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(b) of the Rome Statute; Murder as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(a), and as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i);
2. Taking hostages as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(iii);
3. Rape and other acts of sexual violence as crimes against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(g), and also as war crimes pursuant to article 8(2)(e)(vi) in the context of captivity;
4. Torture as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(f), and also as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i), in the context of captivity;
5. Other inhumane acts as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(l)(k), in the context of captivity;
6. Cruel treatment as a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i), in the context of captivity; and
7. Outrages upon personal dignity as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(ii), in the context of captivity.”