Claudio Francavilla, the Associate EU Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch, called the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant a “rare chance at justice” for crimes committed in Gaza.
Francavilla highlighted that the warrants align with findings from several international bodies, NGOs, and UN institutions, as well as the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) binding orders in the genocide case filed by South Africa.
Francavilla criticized the mixed responses from European Union (EU) countries, urging them to uphold the integrity of the ICC and fulfil their legal obligations under the Rome Statute. He condemned the response from Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán invited Netanyahu, offering impunity and undermining EU commitments.
The arrest warrants were issued for crimes against humanity and war crimes linked to Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, which have led to over 44,000 deaths, mostly among civilians, since October 2023. The international community is divided, with several EU countries, including Ireland, France, and Germany, pledging to cooperate with the ICC, while Hungary has refused.
