The office of the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has said it is seeking arrest warrants against three leading Hamas leaders for their alleged roles in the October 7 attacks in Israel, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In his statement, ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan said he had “reasonable grounds to believe” that Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, and Ismail Haniyeh “bear criminal responsibility” for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Israel and the State of Palestine.

“As part of our investigations, my office has interviewed victims and survivors, including former hostages and eyewitnesses from six major attack locations: Kfar Aza; Holit; the location of the Supernova Music Festival; Be’eri; Nir Oz; and Nahal Oz,” the statement said, adding that the probe relied on various evidence, including photos, videos and Hamas members’ statements.

“Speaking with survivors, I heard how the love within a family, the deepest bonds between a parent and a child, were contorted to inflict unfathomable pain through calculated cruelty and extreme callousness. These acts demand accountability,” Khan stated.