International Criminal Court rejects Trump's sanctions and pledges to continue delivering justice

The International Criminal Court (ICC), located in The Hague, has firmly condemned the sanctions imposed by United States President Donald Trump, asserting that the restrictions will not hinder its work.

The executive order, signed by Trump, targeted ICC officials investigating potential war crimes by U.S. personnel or their allies, like Israel, by imposing financial penalties and barring them from entering the United States. This move comes just days after Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is personally affected by an arrest warrant issued by the ICC over alleged war crimes related to the Gaza conflict.

Netanyahu, in his response, praised Trump's executive order, calling the ICC an "anti-American" and "anti-Semitic" institution. The tribunal, however, remains defiant in its commitment to justice, acknowledging that while the sanctions may undermine its operations, it stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all situations before it.

The ICC's leadership emphasised that its decisions are based on the law, not political influence, and called on the 125 member states of the Rome Statute to stand with them in defending the independence of international justice. The court also faces scrutiny over its investigations into war crimes in Ukraine and Gaza, highlighting its controversial and often contentious role on the global stage. For now, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold.