THE HAGUE, May 17, 2026 (WAFA) - The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued secret arrest warrants for more Israeli officials, including politicians and military personnel, in connection with the war on the Gaza Strip, according to a report published Sunday in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The newspaper quoted a diplomatic source as saying that the warrants were issued for three Israeli politicians and two military officials, without disclosing their identities or the date the warrants were issued.
Until now, the only two publicly announced arrest warrants for Israeli officials in connection with the war in Gaza were issued in November 2024 against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
At that time, the court rejected Israel's appeals regarding its jurisdiction over the Gaza war, stating that Israel's acceptance of the court's jurisdiction was not a prerequisite for considering the issuance of arrest warrants.
The Hague, May 17, 2026 (WAFA) – The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued secret arrest warrants for more Israeli officials, including politicians and military personnel, in connection with the war on the Gaza Strip. In a related development, eight countries have banned the entry of the two extremist Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, since the outbreak of the war. These countries include Australia, Canada, Spain, Belgium, Norway, and New Zealand.
Last July, the Netherlands added the two ministers to a list barring them from entering the 29 countries that are signatories to the Schengen Agreement, due to their incitement of violence against Palestinians and their calls for ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the expansion of settlements.
For months, Israel has been attempting to circumvent the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. It has repeatedly tried to question the court's jurisdiction over its citizens, arguing that it is not a party to the Rome Statute, which established the court.
However, the judicial bodies in The Hague have rejected these arguments, affirming their jurisdiction over crimes committed in the Palestinian territories (which have been a member of the court since 2015). This has left Israeli leaders facing the threat of international prosecution, which could severely restrict their travel abroad.
In some cases, the International Criminal Court employs the mechanism of "secret arrest warrants" to protect the course of investigations, ensure that justice is not obstructed, or facilitate the arrest of wanted individuals during their international travel. This development constitutes an expansion of the scope of international prosecution against Israel.
K.T
