About

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent judicial body established by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998).
• It is an independent judicial body distinct from the UN.
• ICC investigates and tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
• The ICC was established as a court of last resort to prosecute the most heinous offenses in cases where national courts fail to act.
• It is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands .

Membership

• Only those who ratified (124 countries) the Rome Statute are parties to ICC.
• Prominent countries that are not members include China, India, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Qatar and Israel.
• The USA and Russia had signed the treaty but did not ratify it.

Why in News?

• Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister, as well as the military commander of Hamas.
• The judges said there were “reasonable grounds” the three men bore “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have rejected the allegations.
• The decision’s practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and two of the Hamas officials were killed in the conflict.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/icc-issues-arrest-warrants-for-benjamin-netanyahu-yoav-gallant-and-hamas-leader-mohammed-deif/article68893982.ece