Human rights attorney Amal Clooney revealed her advisory role to the International Criminal Court prosecutor regarding arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense ministers.
What Happened: Clooney was part of a panel of legal experts assembled by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan to evaluate evidence for the arrest warrants. The warrants target Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas in Gaza; Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ top political leader; and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commander of Hamas’ military wing, reported The Hill.
Khan stated that these individuals “bear criminal responsibility” for war crimes against Israel, including sexual violence, kidnappings, and extermination. Clooney’s panel unanimously found “reasonable grounds” to pursue charges against those named.
Clooney, who is married to U.S. actor George Clooney, emphasized the importance of the rule of law and protecting civilian lives, stating, “The law that protects civilians in war was developed more than 100 years ago and it applies in every country in the world regardless of the reasons for a conflict.”
The legal panel also included experts like Theodor Meron, former president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and Lord Justice Adrian Fulford, a former ICC judge.
A panel of three judges will now decide whether to issue the warrants and proceed with the case, a process that could take several weeks. The request has faced sharp criticism from Hamas leaders, Israeli officials, and U.S. President Joe Biden, who called it an “outrageous” decision.
Why It Matters: The ICC’s actions come amid heightened tensions and ongoing violence in the region. Earlier, Israeli forces intensified their strikes across the Gaza Strip, resulting in significant casualties. This escalation coincided with a visit from White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aiming to prevent a full-scale assault on Rafah.
Earlier in February, ICC prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan had already raised alarms over Israeli military operations in Rafah, expressing concerns about potential violations of the Rome Statute.
Additionally, earlier in the month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to expedite arms shipments to Israel, highlighting the international dimension of the conflict. This move was seen as a response to President Joe Biden‘s delay in bomb shipments amid the ongoing war with Hamas.
On May 20, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan formally requested arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, accusing them of serious war crimes, including cutting off essential supplies and attacking civilians and aid workers.
Photo Courtesy: Lev Radin on Shutterstock.com
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