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STORY: U.S. President Joe Biden strongly defended Israel on Monday after the International Criminal Court's prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense chief and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes. Biden was speaking at an event for Jewish American Heritage Month at the White House. “Let me be clear, we reject the ICC's application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. Whatever these warrants may imply, there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas, and it's clear Israel wants to do all we can to ensure civilian protection. Let me be clear. Contrary to allegations against Israel made by the International Court of Justice, what's happening is not genocide." ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement issued after more than seven months of war in Gaza that he had reasonable grounds to believe the five men "bear criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. He said evidence his office collected showed Israel had systematically deprived civilians of "objects indispensable to human survival", including food, water, medicine and energy. Netanyahu on Monday called the charges ‘absurd’. “I reject with disgust the comparison of the prosecutor in the Hague between democratic Israel and the mass murderers of Hamas. This is a complete distortion of reality.” The Hamas leaders are accused of bearing responsibility for crimes committed by the militant group, including extermination and murder, the taking of hostages, torture, rape and other acts of sexual violence. Many Gazans were also angry over news of the warrants: "We are against this decision because they have equated the victim with the executioner. We have a right to our homeland. How can it be that those who resist and call for the liberation of their homeland become criminal? And the criminal become the protector?!" The ICC is the world's first permanent international war crimes court. It steps in only when a state is unwilling or genuinely unable to do so itself. Israel has said alleged war crimes in Gaza are being investigated domestically. It and key ally the United States are not members of the ICC, along with China and Russia.

STORY: :: Biden says Israeli forces are not committing genocide in their campaign against Hamas :: “Contrary to allegations against Israel made by the International Court of Justice, what's happening is not genocide. We reject that and we'll always stand with Israel and the threats against its security." :: May 20, 2024 :: Washington, D.C. :: The US President spoke at a Jewish American Heritage Month event at the White House :: "We stand with Israel to take out Sinwar and the rest of the butchers of Hamas. We want Hamas defeated. We'll work with Israel to make that happen and consistent with Jewish values and compassion, kindness and dignity and human life. My team also is providing critical humanitarian assistance to help innocent Palestinian civilians who are suffering greatly because of the war Hamas has unleashed." In remarks at the White House event, Biden stressed his belief that Israel was the victim dating back to the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas militants who killed 1,200 people and took hundreds of hostages. He said U.S. support for the safety and security of Israelis is "ironclad." Negotiations have stalled between Israel and Hamas in trying to gain the freedom of sick, elderly and wounded hostages still held by the militants, but Biden vowed not to give up trying to gain their release.

The International Criminal Court's lead prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders, including for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both Israel and Hamas have separately denounced the charges, while President Biden was highly critical of the decision to include Israeli officials. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab has details.

President Biden sharply criticized the request for a war crimes arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with the leaders of Hamas. The president called the move by the International Criminal Court "outrageous," saying there's no equivalence between Israel and the militant group. Imtiaz Tyab has details.

STORY: The International Criminal Court's prosecutor Karim Khan said on Monday he had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense chief and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes. "It may later decide it wants to issue arrest warrants against other people, more people, we don't know. If the judges agree those arrest warrants should be issued, then those people should be handed over," said Nice, referring to the signatories to the ICC. Israel and Palestinian leaders have dismissed allegations of committing war crimes, and representatives of both sides criticized Khan's decision.

STORY: The International Criminal Court's prosecutor has requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense chief Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement on Monday that he had reasonable grounds to believe that all "bear criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Hamas leaders' arrest warrants were for the group's chief Yahya Sinwar; Mohammed Al-Masri, the commander-in-chief of its military wing, and Ismail Haniyeh, head of its Political Bureau. "Those who do not comply with the law should not complain later when my office takes action based on solid evidence. That day has come. Today, we underline in the clearest possible fashion that international law and the laws of armed conflict apply to everyone. No foot soldier, no commander, no civilian leader - no one - can act with impunity." Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said accepting the ICC prosecutors' decision, quote, "would harm the ability of any country to defend its citizens and will constitute a crime of historic proportion." Gallant and Netanyahu have overseen Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza since the Palestinian militant group's deadly October 7 raid on Israel. Some 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage in the rampage, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, at least 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to the enclave's health ministry. And aid agencies have also warned of widespread hunger, a risk of famine, and dire shortages of fuel and medical supplies. Israeli and Palestinian leaders have both previously dismissed allegations of committing war crimes. Khan said evidence collected by his office showed Israel had systematically deprived civilians of "objects indispensable to human survival," including restricting food, water, medicine and energy. Netanyahu and Gallant bore responsibility, he said, for Israel wilfully causing great suffering and for killing as a war crime. The Hamas leaders face allegations of bearing responsibility for crimes committed by the militant group, including extermination and murder, the taking of hostages, torture, rape and other acts of sexual violence. It will now be up to a panel of pre-trial judges to determine whether the evidence from the ICC prosecutors' office supports the issuing of arrest warrants. The ICC's 124 member states are obliged to immediately arrest the wanted person if they are on a member state's territory. However, it has no means to enforce arrest warrants - and its investigation into the Gaza war has been opposed by the United States and Israel, neither of whom are members of the ICC.

The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants against Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The ICC's chief prosecutor says the leaders are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and Israel. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is facing pressure to come up with a post-war plan for Gaza. CBS News foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab has more.

STORY: :: The Hague, the Netherlands :: May 20, 2024 Karim Khan, ICC prosecutor "I can also confirm today that I have reasonable grounds to believe, on the basis of evidence collected and examined by my office, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant bear criminal responsibility for the following international crimes committed on the territory of the state of Palestine from at least the 8th of October 2023. The crimes include starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, wilfully causing great suffering, serious injury to body or health, or cruel treatment, wilful killing or murder and intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population; as well as crimes against humanity of extermination and/or murder, persecution and allegation of crimes committing other inhumane acts." "I have reasonable grounds to believe the three senior leaders of Hamas - Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab (Al-Masri) and Ismail Haniyeh - bear criminal responsibility for the following international crimes committed on the territory of Israel and the state of Palestine from at least the 7th of October 2023: extermination as a crime against humanity, murder as a crime against humanity and as a war crime, the taking of hostages as a war crime, rape and other acts of sexual violence during captivity as crimes against humanity and as war crimes, torture during captivity as a crime against humanity and as a war crime, other inhumane acts during captivity as a crime against humanity, cruel treatment during captivity as a warcrime, and outrageous upon personal dignity during captivity as a war crime." Prosecutor Karim Khan's office said it suspected all five - Netanyahu, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Al-Masri and Ismail Haniyeh - bore criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Israel or the Gaza Strip. Israel has denied committing war crimes in the Gaza war, triggered by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7. The ICC's decision "equates the victim with the executioner," a senior Hamas official told Reuters. It will be up to the court's pre-trial judges to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to issue warrants.

STORY: :: Drone footage shows Israelis marching to Jerusalem to protest against Netanyahu's government :: March 20, 2024 :: Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, Israel Israeli police said they had detained several protesters on suspicion of attempting to block the road. They were taken for questioning. Protesters are set to join others outside Israel's parliament, the Knesset, as the summer session begins later on Monday. Anger has mounted in Israel against Netanyahu's government, with weekly demonstrations calling for a deal to bring hostages back, and for Netanyahu's resignation over criticism of his handling of the war against Hamas in Gaza.

STORY: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday. The charred wreckage of the aircraft was found early on Monday after an overnight search. Raisi's death was confirmed by Iran's vice president on X, and on state television. A senior Iranian official told Reuters "President Raisi, the foreign minister and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash." Rescue teams fought blizzards and difficult terrain through the night to reach the crash site in East Azerbaijan province in the early hours of Monday. Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani border to inaugurate a joint dam project. There has been no official word yet on the cause of the crash. State TV halted regular programming on Sunday to show prayers for Raisi being held across the country. The 63-year-old was elected president in 2021. Since taking office Raisi had ordered a tightening of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers. Iran's dual political system is split between the clerical establishment and the government, and it is the supreme leader rather than the president who has the final say on all major policies. But for years many have seen Raisi as a strong contender to succeed his 85-year-old mentor, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has strongly endorsed Raisi's main policies. “I mean, I think a lot of people might celebrate or might be happy, but also a lot of people, I think naturally would be very worried as to, you know, the potential political instability and what it could have.” A contest to replace Raisi may already be in the works, according to Arash Azizi, an Iran political analyst at the Center for Middle East and Global Order. “We all expected a ferocious struggle for power to begin after Khamenei dies. It might have already begun with this incident.” The crash comes as Iran faces pressure over its nuclear programme, its military ties to Russia, and its connections to Hamas, which is fighting Israel in Gaza. Countries including China expressed concern over Raisi, while the White House said U.S. President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation.

STORY: Residents said Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Over two dozen Palestinians were killed in the enclave, most of them in a strike on a house in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, according to Gaza health officials and Hamas. Abu Khaled Moenes lives near the house that was hit. “...the house was flattened to earth and the entire square around it, where we are, has been destroyed. We have martyrs, the entire house with everyone inside (has been killed). No one survived except a young boy aged eight or nine months." The strikes came as White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid U.S. calls for a more focused military campaign. Washington worries for the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians sheltering in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. And has cited a need not just to evacuate them but also to ensure adequate alternative accommodation. Israel has been pushing into the city that it says is the last bastion of Hamas forces. For many, it was one of their few remaining places of refuge. Speaking to Reuters on Friday, Rafah resident Majid Omran said his family had fled, and returned to what was left of their home in the southern city of Khan Younis. "Across the Gaza strip there is no safety," he said. "We took our children, grandchildren and daughters and we came and lived above the rubble of our home. Because there is no place to take refuge here.” Israeli forces also pushed deeper into the narrow alleyways of Jabalia in northern Gaza overnight and into Sunday. The Israeli military has said its operations in Jabalia - the largest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps - are precise and meant to stop Hamas from reestablishing its grip there. According to Israeli tallies, the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel that sparked the war killed 1,200 people. More than 35,300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since then, according to the enclave's health ministry. Aid agencies have warned of widespread hunger in Gaza, and shortages of fuel and medical supplies.

This week on "Face the Nation," Margaret Brennan speaks to former Defense Secretary Robert Gates about the war between Israel and Hamas, campus protests in the U.S. and the ongoing congressional debate on providing aid to Ukraine. Plus, Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova joins.

STORY: :: Israeli police scuffle with anti-government protesters blocking a highway in Tel Aviv :: May 18, 2024 Protesters had been calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down and trigger new elections, as well as for an immediate ceasefire in order to release the hostages held in Gaza since October 7. In the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 1,200 people died in Israel and 253 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. About 125 people are still being held in Gaza.

All of them, Israel says, were killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.