The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif.

According to an ICC statement released Thursday, Netanyahu and Gallant face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Israel’s military actions in Gaza between 8 October 2023 and 20 May 2024. Deif is also wanted for similar allegations.

While Israel claimed in August 2024 that Deif had been killed in a July airstrike, Hamas denied this assertion. The ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, sought the warrants to address alleged atrocities committed by both Israeli and Hamas officials during the Gaza conflict.

The warrants, initially classified as secret, were made public to inform victims and their families, as the crimes are reportedly ongoing. The ICC stated that the warrants would constrain the movement of Netanyahu and others, as any of its 124 member states are obligated to arrest them.

The conflict began with Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Retaliatory strikes by Israel have killed at least 44,056 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.