Tel Aviv: Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant intends to travel to Washington despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Gaza, as reported by Israeli media. According to Anadolu Agency, Israel's Army Radio indicated that Gallant plans to engage in discussions with US security officials during his visit. However, the exact timing of the trip has not been disclosed. The ICC issued arrest warrants for both Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The ICC's regulations stipulate that it cannot conduct trials in absentia, meaning defendants are required to be physically present for proceedings to commence. The court, based in The Hague, lacks its own enforcement mechanism and relies on member states to execute its arrest warrants. In response to the ICC's actions, the White House announced on Thursday its rejection of the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. The warra nts coincide with the continuation of Israel's offensive in Gaza, which has entered its second year. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 44,200 Palestinians, predominantly women and children. The ongoing Israeli military operations have led to the displacement of nearly the entire population of Gaza. The territory continues to face a severe blockade, causing acute shortages of essential supplies such as food, clean water, and medicine, leaving the population on the verge of starvation.