Israel is expressing concern that the International Criminal Court may be preparing to issue arrest warrants for government officials on charges related to its war against Hamas in Gaza.
The ICC – which can charge individuals with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide – is investigating Hamas' cross-border attack on October 7 and Israel's devastating military assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza, now in its seventh month.
In response to Israeli media reports that the ICC could soon issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli government and military officials, Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday warned Israeli embassies to beef up their security because of the risk of a “wave of severe anti-Semitism”.
“We hope that the court (ICC) will refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials,” Katz said. “We will not hang our heads or be deterred and we will continue to fight.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that any decision by the ICC would not affect Israel's actions but would set a dangerous precedent.
Israeli officials are concerned that the court may issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other senior officials for alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, Israeli media reported.
They said the ICC is also considering arrest warrants for Hamas leaders.
The ICC, based in The Hague, and Gaza's ruling Hamas group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognize its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were granted member state status in 2015.
In October, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said the court had jurisdiction over possible war crimes committed by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.
Khan said his team is actively investigating all crimes allegedly committed in Gaza and that those who violate the law will be held accountable.
On October 7, Hamas led an attack on Israeli military bases and communities in which 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 253 were taken hostage, according to Israeli calculations.
Since then, Israel has launched a land, air and sea offensive that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities, and destroyed much of the small, densely populated coastal territory.
Gaza's Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants in its casualty reports, but most of the deaths have been civilians, health officials say.
Israel says it takes precautions to minimize civilian deaths and that at least a third of deaths in Gaza are combatants, figures Hamas has rejected.
Israel's military campaign has displaced most of the 2.3 million people in the blockaded Palestinian enclave and created a humanitarian crisis.
The ICC case is separate from a genocide case launched against Israel at the International Court of Justice, also based in The Hague.
The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is a United Nations court that deals with disputes between States, while the ICC is a treaty-based criminal court focusing on individual criminal responsibility for war crimes.
Source: CNN Brasil

Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.