‘ICC Arrest Warrants Can Help Save Lives, Must Be Respected And Complied With’: UN Experts

GENEVA (26 November 2024) – UN human rights’ experts today urged full compliance with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and against Hamas commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif) for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“The ICC's decision marks a historic step towards justice and accountability, offering hope for ending decades of impunity for long-standing serious violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT),” the experts said. “The protracted lack of accountability, especially of the State of Israel, has been an enabling factor to the increasing and untenable violence in the region, affecting the lives and futures of both Palestinians and Israelis.”

Since 7 October 2023, and the military assault on Gaza and the rest of the OPT, the independent experts have received and documented evidence of grave violations of international law committed against civilian populations. “These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished,” they said.

In welcoming the ICC’s decision, the experts reminded States of their legal and moral obligation to uphold international law and punish war criminals, stating that the power to enforce these arrest warrants rests with governments. “Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel,” they said.

As millions of people in the region, especially those in Gaza, continue to endure abhorrent atrocities, it is incumbent on all States to demonstrate their commitment to justice and upholding international law universally, without bias or double standards, the experts said. “Delivering justice is often the outcome of a collective endeavour, we therefore encourage domestic courts to contribute to and complement the critical work done by the ICC.

“We are particularly attentive to the fundamental right of victims and their families to comprehensive and meaningful reparations and urge all relevant parties to ensure their rights are upheld,” the experts said. “In order to guarantee the rights of victims and their families, it is imperative that the ICC be able to carry out their work without interference or other undue pressure.”

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