The International Criminal Court said that it still seeks to arrest Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The case is still proceeding,” ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan has said.
“We have taken no steps to try and withdraw any of those arrest warrant applications or the arrest warrants themselves, and the team continues to investigate in that situation,” Khan said.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his then war minister, Yoav Gallant, over war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza since October 2023.
Since then, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on most of the court’s leadership, including the former chief prosecutor Karim Khan, the two deputy prosecutors, and nine judges including the court’s president.
Israel has also taken steps to challenge the warrants at the ICC.
Two appeals remain in progress, including one challenging the court’s jurisdiction over Israeli nationals because Israel is not a member of the court.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in July that Washington would use every tool at its disposal to “dismantle the ICC – brick by brick, if necessary”, while urging member states to withdraw their support for the institution.
In other press statements, Rubio also described the court as a “stupid organization” run by “lunatics and crazies”, and warned that it would face consequences for attempting to exercise jurisdiction over American nationals.
