KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday called for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The plea, filed by Advocate Sohail Hameed, claimed that Netanyahu and other Israeli officials were responsible for the deaths of over 41,000 Palestinians, including 15,000 children, and the siege of Gaza. The petitioner argued that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had already issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
The application urged the court to direct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of the Cabinet, and the United Nations to comply with the ICC arrest warrants and ensure accountability for the war crimes committed.
In May, the ICC prosecutor sought arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The prosecutor also sought warrants for Yahya Sinwar and two other top Hamas leaders on similar charges.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the charges stemmed from the October 7 attacks on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 41,391 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the conflict began.
The United Nations has recognized these figures as reliable.
