Are they both war criminals? An international prosecutor is targeting the two main figures in the Israel-Gaza conflict. But no arrests are likely any time soon.
Arrest warrant bid for Israel, Hamas leaders
Split: Some welcomed the International Criminal Court’s decision; others slammed it as “appalling”. Glossary
Prosecutor - Someone who starts and runs a legal case against someone.
International Criminal Court - An international tribunal that has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for committing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Arrest warrants - A legal order that allows police officers to arrest someone in relation to a criminal case.
Israeli - From Israel, a country in the Middle East. Just over 70% of its population is Jewish, while 20% is Arab.
Benjamin Netanyahu - The prime minister of Israel.
Hamas - A militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Gaza - The smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt.
7 October - On 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, carried out a series of surprise attacks on Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and taking more than 200 hostages.
Charge - Formally accuse someone of breaking a law.
Civilians - People who are not in the army or the police.
Judges - The person in a court of law who decides how the law should be applied.