Netanyahu 'asked' families of Hamas captives to lobby ICC on his behalf

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the families of captives held by Hamas in Gaza to try to persuade the International Criminal Court (ICC) not to issue arrest warrants against him and other senior Israeli officials and military commanders, according to a report in News 12. 

Netanyahu reportedly contacted the headquarters of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a body established by the families of those abducted and taken to Gaza during the Hamas-led 7 October attacks, and asked them to use their relationship with the ICC to lobby on behalf of him and other Israeli figures at risk of being targeted over Israel's war in Gaza.

In February, about 100 families of the captives travelled to the Hague, the Dutch city where the ICC is based, to file a lawsuit against senior Hamas officials.

Since then, News 12 reported, "friendly" relations have been established between some of the families and the court's prosecutor, British lawyer Karim Khan.

After learning about this connection, Netanyahu asked the headquarters of the missing families forum to convince Khan to drop any plans to issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials. 

Read more: Netanyahu 'asked' families of Hamas captives to lobby ICC on his behalf