Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Monday criticized the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, saying the penalties were insufficient.
“They issued an arrest warrant, that’s not enough… Death sentences must be issued for these criminal leaders,” Khamenei said, referring to Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
The ICC warrants, announced last Thursday, accuse Netanyahu and Gallant of crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. These actions were reportedly part of a “widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza,” according to ICC judges.
The move has sparked outrage in Israel, which condemned the decision as “shameful and absurd.” Israeli officials reiterated their rejection of the ICC’s jurisdiction, denying allegations of war crimes in Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu denounced the decision, while Gaza residents expressed hope that the warrants could lead to accountability for alleged war crimes.
