Gazans say ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are 'delayed justice'

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

As nations around the world announce whether they will honour an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, citizens of Gaza say they have little hope the ruling will change the course of the year-long war.

Just hours after the court's decision, fresh Israeli strikes across the enclave killed 21 people, including a fisherman setting out to sea, and a family of eight at home in Shejaa. Almost 44,000 people have been killed by Israeli fire on Gaza since the war broke out in October 2023, sending millions fleeing from their homes under Israeli eviction orders and scrabbling for food and other basic necessities as the inflow of aid was all but halted.

The ICC said there were reasonable grounds to believe Prime Minister Netanyahu and Gallant were criminally responsible for acts including murder, persecution and starvation as weapons of war, as part of a “widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza”.

Now the warrants have been issued, signatory nations to the ICC, including all EU nations, Canada and Japan, should in theory arrest the pair if they visit. But Gazans told The National that although the arrest warrants are satisfying, they are doubtful they will be implemented.

“The decision is fair in its content but unjust in its timing; delayed justice is an outright injustice,” said lawyer Yousef Salem, who works on humanitarian issues in Gaza, calling the decision “symbolic”.

“[Netanyahu's] policies remain unchanged even under significant pressure from the US administration, and they are unlikely to shift due to a symbolic decision that cannot be implemented under current global standards,” Mr Salem, now living in Istanbul after fleeing Gaza, told The National.

He said the arrest warrants could realistically only be acted on with the backing of the US, which is not a signatory to the court. Outgoing President Joe Biden called the warrants “outrageous”, saying the US “will always stand with Israel against threats to its security”.

Israel launched its war on Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel in an October 7, 2023 attack which killed 1,200 people and led to more than 250 being taken hostage. It says Hamas uses Palestinians as human shields and is to blame for casualties in Gaza. Mr Netanyahu called the warrants issued on Thursday “anti-Semitic” and vowed to continue Israel's actions.

The Israeli government has repeatedly denied the allegations of the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who sought the warrants from the court’s judges in May. The warrants also included top Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, whom Israel claims to have killed. Hamas has not confirmed his death.

Displaced from her home in Gaza city to Khan Younis in the enclave's south, Madleen Abu Saif said the decision from the ICC came late “but at least it came”.

“I think this decision will not make a difference because Israel doesn’t recognise the ICC,” the 28-year-old told The National. “It will not influence the continuing war or a ceasefire.”

Moves towards a ceasefire have stalled multiple times, with talks shepherded by the US, Egypt and Qatar paused for months. Meanwhile, a new front in the fighting has opened in Lebanon as Israel fights on the ground and bombards from above, targeting the Hezbollah group.

Ms Abu Saif retains some faith in nations around the world to impact the war by acting on the arrest warrants.

“I hope that the world does their part and enforces the decision, as a number of countries said that they will arrest [Mr Netanyahu]. I hope their power to enforce the decision not only shows that they are supporting humanity but does something to make people believe that there is justice in the world.”