Judges at the International Criminal Court have issued an arrest warrant for Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of committing with others “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”.

Warrants have also been issued for Israel’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant, as well as the Hamas military commander, Mohammed Deif.

Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned the ICC’s decision as “antisemitic”, while Hamas said the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant had set an important historical precedent.

Israel says the Hamas commander Mohammed Deif was killed in Gaza in July. However the ICC said prosecutors were not in a position to determine whether he was killed or remained alive. The Court said it had reasonable grounds to believe he was “responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; torture; and rape and other form of sexual violence; as well as the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture; taking hostages; outrages upon personal dignity; and rape and other form of sexual violence”.

The issuing of arrest warrants means each of the men face arrest if they travel to any country that is a member of the International Criminal Court.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Lucy Williamson

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