Prosecutors from the International Criminal Court have not issued any arrest warrants in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the war in Gaza. But over the past few days, amid a preemptive backlash from government officials, Israeli media has reported that arrest warrants from the global court were imminent against senior Israeli figures.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that attempts by The Hague-based court to undermine Israel’s right to self-defense would never be accepted, arguing that it would “set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies.” On Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz cautioned Israeli embassies around the world to bolster security in immediate preparation for “a wave of severe antisemitism” if the arrest warrants were to be issued.
The court, known widely as the ICC, has not confirmed any reports that it will issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials. Experts say that if the court were to issue such warrants, they would almost certainly also target militants in Gaza for crimes committed during the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7.
Here’s what to know about the court and its arrest warrants.