The international criminal court in The Hague has issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, former defence minister Yoav Gallant and the Hamas leader Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict.

The warrants mean Netanyahu and Gallant could be arrested if they travel to an ICC member state. Some reports suggest Deif has been killed but the ICC said it is not yet clear if he is dead or alive.

The warrants were requested by the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan in May.

The ICC rejected challenges by Israel, saying the two men are wanted for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023.

The court said it considered that there are “reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

There is also no “clear military need or other justification under international humanitarian law could be identified for the restrictions placed on access for humanitarian relief operations,” the court said.

In terms of Deif, the court said there are reasonable grounds to hold him responsible for the “crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; torture; and rape and other form of sexual violence; as well as the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture, taking hostages; outrages upon personal dignity; and rape and other form of sexual violence.”

Khan had also requested warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, but they have both been killed in the conflict.