Israel, Hamas reject ICC bid to arrest leaders for war crimes

US joins condemnation of move, while France backs court’s fight against impunity’

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RAFAH Israel and Hamas, engaged in heavy fighting in the Gaza Strip, both on May 20 angrily rejected moves made before an international court to arrest their leaders for war crimes.

The International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan said he had applied for arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas leaders over the conflict.

Israel slammed as a "historical disgrace" the demand targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, while Palestinian militant group Hamas said it "strongly condemns" the move.

Israel's top ally, the United States, joined the condemnation, while France said it supported the court's independence and its "fight against impunity".

Mr Netanyahu said he rejected "with disgust The Hague prosecutor's comparison between democratic Israel and the mass murderers of Hamas".

Mr Gallant described the ICC push as "despicable". "Prosecutor Karim Khan's attempt to deny the state of Israel the right to defend herself and ensure the release of the hostages held in Gaza must be rejected explicitly," Mr Gallant said in a statement on May 21.

Mr Khan said in a statement that he was seeking warrants against the Israeli leaders for crimes including "wilful killing", "extermination and/ or murder" and "starvation".