Arrest warrants issued for Israel's Prime Minister and Hamas leader

Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and Mohammed Deif should be arrested, the ICC say

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has called for three men to be arrested for their actions during the war between Israel and Hamas.

Arrest warrants have been issued by the ICC for Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, a former minister in the Israeli government called Yoav Gallant, and a Hamas leader, Mohammed Deif.

This has come after more than a year of war between Israel and Hamas.

The court said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe the three men bore "criminal responsibility" for crimes during the war.

Both the Israeli government and Hamas have rejected these claims.

Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the three men to be issued an arrest warrant

Who are the people who have been charged?

Mohammed Deif is one of the leaders of Hamas.

Hamas are based in Gaza. Hamas is a "proscribed terrorist organisation" in the UK, which means the government has decided that it is a terrorist group.

Benjamin Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel.

Yoav Gallant used to be Israel's defence minister, before being replaced earlier this month.

What are the charges?

All three men have been issued arrest warrants because the ICC say they may be guilty of something called "war crimes".

These are things that countries across the world have agreed should never happen during warfare.

The ICC has accused Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant of being responsible for "the war crime of starvation", saying many Palestinians living in the Gaza strip are going hungry because Israel is blocking food and medical aid from entering Gaza.

Mohammed Deif has been accused of many war crimes including taking hostages and cruel treatment, which the ICC says were part of a wider attack "directed by Hamas and other armed groups against the civilian population of Israel".

The International Criminal Court is based in The Hague, Netherlands

What is the International Criminal Court?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was created to bring to justice people and groups who they believe are responsible for war crimes.

The ICC usually only intervenes when countries cannot or will not prosecute themselves.

124 countries are signed up to the ICC, including the UK, but Israel and the US are not members.

The court does not have a police force to carry out arrests.

Instead it relies on member states to hand over suspects as well as respect its rulings.

What has the reaction been from world leaders and organisations?

Prime Minister Netanyahu has said that the ICC’s decision is “antisemitic”, which means anti-Jewish.

US president Joe Biden has called the arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu "outrageous", saying in a statement that the actions of Israel and Hamas cannot be compared.

Palestinians in Gaza have expressed hope that Israeli leaders will now be brought to justice. Several European countries have promised to comply with the ICC's rules.

The UK's foreign office told the BBC that “we respect the independence of the ICC,” adding that “Israel has a right to defend itself... There needs to be a ceasefire and a return of hostages.”