The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Another prominent Israeli politician, former Defence Secretary Yoav Gallant, was also issued an arrest warrant.

Both warrants are for alleged war crimes, the ICC said.

A third warrant was issued for the arrest of Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri.

Al Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, was the mastermind behind the 7 October attacks in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

It is unclear if he is still alive following an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

The judges said there were “reasonable grounds” the three men bore “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have rejected the allegations.

IT will now be up to the ICC’s 124 member states to decide whether or not to enforce the warrants. Neither Israel or the US are members of the ICC.

In May, the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, accused Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas leaders — Yehya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh — of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders condemned the move as “disgraceful” and “antisemitic”.

US President Joe Biden also lambasted the prosecutor and supported Israel‘s right to defend itself against Hamas.

Discussing the 7 October attacks, the court said: “In light of the coordinated killings of members of civilians at several separate locations, the Chamber also found that the conduct took place as part of a mass killing of members of the civilian population, and it therefore concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the crime against humanity of extermination was committed.”

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