Dozens of filings flood ICC’s Israel-Hamas case, causing delays

More than 60 governments and other parties will be allowed to file arguments to the International Criminal Court as judges consider whether to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders on both sides of the Gaza war, court documents show.

ICC prosecutors say there are reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as well as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, military chief Mohammed Al-Masri, and another Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, bear criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In documents made public on Tuesday, judges granted permission to 18 states, including the United States, Germany and South Africa, 40 organizations and individuals to file written submissions by August 6.

They are related to prosecutor Karim Khan’s request in May for the arrest warrants in relation to the Hamas attack on southern Israel last October 7 and the ensuing Israeli assault on the Palestinian enclave.