The International Criminal Court (ICC) is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the 7 October attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement on Monday.

Mr Khan said the ICC is also seeking warrants for Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as two other top Hamas leaders — Mohammed Deif, the leader of the Al Qassem Brigades and Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ political leader.

CNN reports that the warrants against the Israeli politicians mark the first time the ICC has targeted the top leader of a close ally of the United States.

The decision puts Mr Netanyahu in the company of Russian President Vladimir Putin, for whom the ICC issued an arrest warrant over Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

A panel of ICC judges will now consider Mr Khan’s application for the arrest warrants. If the judges agree, then countries who are members of the ICC would have an obligation to arrest Mr Netanyahu and the others if they visit their territory.