The chief prosecutorSomeone who starts and runs a legal case against someone. of the International Criminal CourtAn international tribunal that has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for committing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes., Karim Khan, says he is going to apply for arrest warrantsA legal order that allows police officers to arrest someone in relation to a criminal case. for IsraeliFrom Israel, a country in the Middle East. Just over 70% of its population is Jewish, while 20% is Arab. leader Benjamin NetanyahuThe prime minister of Israel. and his defence minister, as well as three HamasA militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK. leaders.

This is linked to the war in GazaThe smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt. , which began after the Hamas attack on Israel on OctoberOn 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. .

Khan wants to chargeFormally accuse someone of breaking a law. Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant with war crimes and crimes against humanity. These include deliberately attacking and starving civiliansPeople who are not in the army or the police..

He also wants to arrest Hamas's leader, Yahya Sinwar, and two of his colleagues. The charges against them include organising murder and kidnapping.

We do not yet know if the ICC judgesThe person in a court of law who decides how the law should be applied. will agree to the arrest warrants.

Both sides have reacted with anger. But others say the decision makes sense. They argue that the war has caused terrible suffering, for which both sides are to blame.

If the judge agrees to the warrants, any of the 124 countries which recognise the ICC would have to arrest the accused men if they could. That includes Britain.

If the cases come to court, the one against the Hamas leaders will be much easier to prove. There is a lot of evidence about the 7 October attacks.

With Netanyahu and Gallant, the challenge is to prove that civilians were killed on purpose - and that the two men agreed to it.

Are they both war criminals?

Yes! Yahya Sinwar planned the 7 October attacks, in which more than 1,000 were killed and others kidnapped. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's invasion of Gaza has likely killed thousands of innocent people.

No! Netanyahu and Sinwar are different. Netanyahu is the leader of a country, which is allowed to defend itself. Sinwar is responsible for the deaths in Gaza, as the invasion was in response to his attack.

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.