By accusing the heads of Israel and Hamas of war crimes, the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor placed them among world leaders infamous for heinous acts against humanity. The chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, announced arrest warrants Monday against two Israeli leaders — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — and three Hamas leaders. The prosecutor focused on actions taken by Hamas on Oct.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for other leaders over the past roughly two decades since the court was established. In March of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin was accused of the abduction of children from Ukraine to Russia. He was charged along with Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights. The chances of Putin facing trial at the ICC are highly unlikely because Moscow does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction or extradite its nationals.