Jerusalem: Israeli government ministers and opposition leaders have strongly rejected the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense chief Yoav Gallant. The warrants, announced on Thursday, accuse both leaders of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. According to Anadolu Agency, the ICC's decision comes amid allegations that Israel launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack last year. The conflict has reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 44,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, and left more than 104,000 injured. This ongoing crisis, now in its second year, has fueled growing international condemnation, with various figures and institutions decrying the attacks and the blockade of aid as an intentional effort to decimate a population. In response to the ICC's ruling, Netanyahu declared in a recorded speech that Israel would not acknowledge the court's decision, callin g it a 'black day.' Echoing this sentiment, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar denounced the arrest warrants as a 'dark moment,' arguing that the court has 'lost all legitimacy for its existence and activities.' Despite the intense violence in the Palestinian region, Sa'ar maintained that the Israeli military was acting 'according to international law.' Transport Minister Miri Regev criticized the ICC's decision as a 'legal absurdity,' asserting that "Israel will not apologize for protecting its citizens - this is not a crime," in a post on X. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir described the court's decision as 'anti-Semitic,' suggesting that Israel's response would involve 'applying sovereignty over all the territories of Judea and Samaria (West Bank).' Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the warrants, stating that Israel is merely 'defending itself' against 'terrorist organizations.' Former War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz also criticized the ICC's actions, labeling them as 'moral blindnes s.' The ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed that it had issued the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the date on which the Prosecution filed the applications for the warrants. Meanwhile, Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice regarding its aggressive actions in Gaza.