ICC fit arrest Israel and Hamas leaders? - Plus wetin go happun next afta dem apply for warrant against dem

Di chief prosecutor of di International Criminal Court Karim Khan don apply for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader for Gaza, Yahya Sinwar.

Karim Khan tok say reasonable grounds dey to believe say both men bear criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity from at least 7 October 2023.

"We submit say di crimes against humanity charge na part of one widespread and systematic attack against di civilian population of Israel by Hamas and oda armed groups according to organisational policies"

Khan dey also try get arrest warrants for two oda Hamas leaders - Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed al-Masri, and di Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant.

For di Hamas leader case, di alleged crimes bin start "from at least 7 October 2023"; for di Israeli leader case, "from at least 8 October 2023", dem tok.

"We submit say di crimes against humanity charge dey committed as part of widespread and systematic attack against di Palestinian civilian population according to state policy"

Israeli politicians don condemn di decision to apply for warrant for Netanyahu.

Di kontri war cabinet minister Benny Gantz call am "deep disturbance of justice"

One senior Hamas official tok say as di ICC dey try get arrest warrants" dem dey equal di victim wit di executioner".

ICC fit arrest Israel and Hamas leaders?

ICC as a judicial institution no get im own police force or enforcement body; so, dem dey rely on cooperation with kontries worldwide for support, particularly to make arrests, transfer arrested persons to di ICC detention centre for The Hague, freezing suspects assets, and enforcing sentences.

Although dem no be United Nations organization, di Court get cooperation agreement United Nations.

Wen a particular situation no dey within di Court jurisdiction, di United Nations Security Council fit refer am to di ICC to grant am jurisdiction.

Wetin go happun now?

Di ICC, wey base for Di Hague for di Netherlands, don dey investigate Israel actions for di occupied West Bank and Gaza for di past three years - and also di actions of Hamas since 7 October.

Israel no be member of di court and no recognise im jurisdiction, but di Palestinian territories dey admitted as member state for 2015.

ICC judges go now determine whether dem believe di evidence dey enough to issue arrest warrants.

Di timeframe fit different, weeks and even months sometimes dey pass between di point wey di ICC prosecutor request arrest warrant, and judges wey dey rule on am.

Reactions afta ICC seek di arrest warrants

Di UK prime minister among oda pipo don react to di ICC announcement.

One tok-tok pesin for Rishi Sunak tok say di ICC prosecutor decision to get arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and oda Israeli and Hamas leaders dey unhelpful.

"Dis action no dey helpful in relation to reach pause for di fighting, get hostages out or get humanitarian aid in," di tok-tok pesin yarn.

Earlier, one tok-tok pesin for di goment say: "As we don tok from di start, we no think say di ICC get jurisdiction for dis case. Di UK neva recognise Palestine as state, and Israel no be state party to di Rome Statute [ICC]," di tok-tok pesin add.

For earlier dis year, di UK goment bin criticise one case wey South Africa bring to di International Court of Justice to accuse Israel of genocide for di Gaza war

Na ICJ dey handle disputes between states, while di ICC dey deal wit individuals.

Czech Prime Minister, Petr Fiala call di decision by prosecutor Karim Khan "appalling and completely unacceptable".

"We no suppose forget say na Hamas bin attack Israel for October and kill, injure and kidnap thousands of innocent pipo. E be dis completely unprovoked terrorist attack wey bin lead to di current war for Gaza and di suffer of civilians for Gaza, Israel and Lebanon," e tok for X.

But Belgian Foreign Minister, Hadja Lahbib welcome di move, say Belgium support di ICC.

"Crimes wey dey committed for Gaza suppose dey prosecuted for di highest level, regardless of di perpetrators. Di request submitted by di Court Prosecutor, Karim Khan, for arrest warrants against both Hamas and Israeli officials na important step for di investigation of di situation for Palestine," she tok.

Ogbonge Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, wey bin involve for di ICC decision tok say "as human rights lawyer, I no go ever accept say one child life get less value dan anoda".

"I no accept say any conflict suppose dey beyond di reach of di law, nor say any perpetrator suppose be above di law. So I support di historic step wey di prosecutor of di International Criminal Court don take to bring justice to victims of atrocities for Israel and Palestine."

Meanwhile,Hamas bin make demand as dia official tok say to try get arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders "equates di victim wit di executioner".

Dem demand say make di ‘Public Prosecutor issue arrest and detention orders against all war criminals, including occupation leaders, officers, and soldiers wey get hand for di crimes against di Palestinian pipo”. Also for cancellation of di arrest warrants against Palestinian leaders.

Israel President, Isaac Herzog share im reaction to di ICC announcement, e describe am as "beyond outrageous" and say dis "show di extent to which di international judicial system dey in danger of collapsing," na one-sided move", e add.

Wetin be ICC and which power dem get?

Di International Criminal Court na permanent global court wey dem form for 2002.

Di court get di power to prosecute pesins and leaders for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

ICC no get jurisdiction to look back over di past – e fit only deal wit crimes wey dey committed afta 1 July 2002 wen di Rome Statute, wey establish di court, begin operate.

Make we add, di court get automatic jurisdiction only for crimes wey dey committed for di territory of state wey don confam di treaty; or by citizen of dat kind state; or wen di United Nations Security Council refer case to am.

Na 124 kontries dem don confam di court. Israel and di US neva ratify di treaty.

Di court no get police force of im own to track down and arrest suspects.

Dem rely on national police services to make arrests and den ask for dia transfer to Di Hague.

Scottish lawyer Karim Khan become im chief prosecutor for 2021.