An arrest warrant has also been sought for Israel's minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant against the backdrop of the military's seven months of bloody campaign in the besieged Palestinian territory, Press TV reported.
Karim Khan said in a Monday statement that he has reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant "bear criminal responsibility" for "war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
He outlined a list of crimes, including "starvation of civilians" and "intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population.”
"We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population pursuant to State policy.”
These crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day, Khan added.
A panel of judges in the court will now consider the application for the arrest warrants.
This course of action at the ICC, based in The Hague, marks the first such move against the head of a close ally of the United States.
When the reports surfaced last month about seeking course of action by the ICC chief prosecutor, the administration of President Joe Biden was quick to condemn the move, saying that "the ICC has no jurisdiction in this situation and we do not support its investigation."
The court has been investigating Israel's actions in the occupied territories for the past three years - and more recently the brutal war in the Gaza Strip as well.
Netanyahu asked Biden to prevent the arrest warrants against the regime's officials.
MNA
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