The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Monday applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Hamas leaders on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity. | Karim Khan said he was seeking warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes including "starvation", "wilful killing", and "extermination and/or murder". ● "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," said Khan in reference to Netanyahu and Gallant. ● The charges laid against the Hamas leaders including Yahya Sinwar, the head of the movement in Gaza, and Ismail Haniyeh, the movement's political chief, include "extermination", "rape and other acts of sexual violence", and "taking hostages as a war crime". ● "We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Israel by Hamas and other armed groups pursuant to organisational policies," said the statement.

■ ICC applies for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Sinwar (The Cradle)
■ ICC seeks arrest of Israel’s Netanyahu over war crimes in Gaza (MEE)
■ ICC Prosecutor Asks For Arrest Warrants For Netanyahoo, Gallant And Others (Moon of Alabama)

Earlier this month, Cindy McCain, the World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director said that parts of Gaza are experiencing "full-blown famine." | The UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths, told the AFP that “apocalyptic” famine is coming to Gaza.

💬 “If fuel runs out, aid doesn’t get to the people where they need it. That famine, which we have talked about for so long, and which is looming, will not be looming anymore. It will be present,” Griffiths said. ● “And I think our worry, as citizens of the international community, is that the consequence is going to be really, really hard. Hard, difficult and apocalyptic.”

Richard Hall, Bel Trew & Andrew Feinberg | An investigation by The Independent uncovers the missteps, missed opportunities and political choices made by the Biden administration that allowed a famine to take hold in northern Gaza. With access to leaked documents, testimony from current and former officials and voices from Gaza, it paints a damning picture of an entirely preventable catastrophe. | resident Joe Biden and his administration have been accused of being complicit in enabling a famine in Gaza by failing to sufficiently act on repeated warnings from their own experts and aid agencies. ■ Interviews with current and former US Agency for International Development (USAID) and state department officials, aid agencies working in Gaza and internal USAID documents reveal that the administration rejected or ignored pleas to use its leverage to persuade its ally Israel – the recipient of billions of dollars of US military support – to allow sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza to stop the famine taking hold. ■ The former officials say the US also provided diplomatic cover for Israel to create the conditions for famine by blocking international efforts to bring about a ceasefire or alleviate the crisis, making the delivery of aid almost impossible. “This is not just turning a blind eye to the man-made starvation of an entire population, it is direct complicity,” former state department official Josh Paul, who resigned over US support for the war, told The Independent. ■ Israel has vehemently denied that there is a hunger crisis in Gaza, or that it has restricted aid. It says fighting with Hamas, the militant group that triggered the current war when it killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in Israel on 7 October, has hampered aid efforts.

■ The Arsenal of Genocide: The U.S. Weapons That Are Destroying Gaza (Yves Smith)

تصاویری از انتقال پیکر شهدا توسط امدادگران هلال احمر و تکاوران نیروی زمینی ارتش به مناطق پایین دست pic.twitter.com/4frTVrqe9H

— خبرگزاری ایرنا (@IRNA_1313) May 20, 2024

Iran President Helicopter Crash News LIVE Updates: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have died in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain and icy weather, Iranian officials confirmed on Monday after search teams located the wreckage. “President Raisi’s helicopter was completely burned in the crash … unfortunately, all passengers are feared dead,” the official told news agency Reuters. Several world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressed grief over his sudden death. “Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” he said.

■ They have moved to the last stage | Tsargrad: The assassination was “organized at the highest level.” An “excruciating death” is a signal to Russia and China. “They are killing everyone who supports Russia and China.” [...] The US and UK have opened a new chapter of terror in their history. All pro-Russian and pro-China politicians in the West should double their caution and security, - writes Kolyasnikov. ● Chinese scholar Nikolai Vavilov holds a similar opinion: They have moved to the last stage - they are killing everyone who supports Russia and China, apparently, things are not good at all and the failure of the West’s strategy after Putin’s visit to China has become as obvious as possible.

■ Iran President’s death: I won’t rule anything out – Fani-Kayode (Daily Post, Nigeria)
■ Iran president, FM killed in tragic helicopter crash (Tehran Times)
■ All passengers of crashed helicopter martyred (Mehr News)
■ ‘No Sign of Life’ Found at Helicopter Crash Site Carrying Iran’s President and Officials (Jakarta Globe)
■ 'No sign of life' as helicopter carrying Iran's president burned completely (The Star, Kenya)
■ Türkiye’s Akinci UAV identifies source of heat suspected to be crash site of Iranian president’s helicopter (Anadolu)
■ Who is departed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's potential successor? (Al Mayadeen)
■ Iran constitution says Vice President will take over in case of President’s death (Tehran Times)
■ Many world leaders died, few survived in aviation accidents since 1936 (Anadolu)
■ Helicopter carrying pres. Raisi involved in accident (05/19/24)