The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Thursday that it had issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, known as Mohammed Deif.

In a statement, the court said it had found "reasonable grounds" to believe that Netanyahu bears criminal responsibility for war crimes, including "starvation as a method of warfare" and "the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts".

The move comes after ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20 that he was seeking arrest warrants for alleged crimes related to the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the Israeli military response in Gaza.

The ICC also said that Israel does not need to accept the court's jurisdiction. Tel Aviv has denied committing war crimes in Gaza.

Despite the fact that an arrest warrant has been issued for Mohammed Deif, the Israeli military claims that this Hamas leader was killed in an air strike in Gaza in July of this year.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett reacted to the ICC's decision, calling it a "disgrace".

Israel's main opposition leader, Yair Lapid, also denounced the Hague-based court's action, calling it "a reward for terrorism".

It will now be up to the 124 member states of the International Criminal Court - which include neither Israel nor its ally the United States - to decide whether or not to execute the warrants. (Text: RTP)