KUALA TERENGGANU: Former prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad today expressed his support for the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s decision to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Describing the decision as justified, he said both Israeli leaders are war criminals responsible for the killing of Palestinians and should face punishment.
"They (Netanyahu and Gallant) are war criminals. They have committed murder. Killing even one person is a crime, but they have killed 44,000 Muslims. These are major criminals who deserve to be hanged," he told reporters after delivering a keynote speech at the Terengganu International Summit 2024 here.
On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also welcomed the ICC's decision, describing it as based on law and evidence of the Zionist regime's ongoing oppression, atrocities, and killings.
On Thursday, the ICC announced the issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes committed in Palestinian territories, including Gaza.
The warrants come as Israel's genocidal attacks on Gaza enter their second year, with the Palestinian death toll reaching approximately 44,000, most of whom are women and children, while over 103,000 others have been injured. — BERNAMA