A statement said a pre-trial chamber had rejected Israel’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
A warrant was also issued for Mohammed Deif, although the Israeli military has said he was killed in an air strike in Gaza in July.
The judges said there were “reasonable grounds” the three men bore "criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have rejected the allegations.
It will now be up to the ICC's 124 member states - who do not include Israel or its ally, the United States - to decide whether or not to enforce the warrants.
