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- President Trump has signed an executive order authorising economic and travel sanctions against people who work on International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations of US citizens or US allies, such as Israel.
- Egypt has said Trump’s plan to displace millions of Palestinians from Gaza will “incite a return of fighting”, while Jordan has warned it will spread chaos in the Middle East and jeopardise its peace with Israel.
- Trump said Israel will hand over Gaza to the US after the fighting is over and the enclave’s population was resettled elsewhere, which he said meant no US troops would be needed on the ground.
- Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered the country’s military to prepare a plan to allow the “voluntary departure” of Gaza’s residents.
- Israel’s war on Gaza has killed 47,583 people and injured 111,633 others, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry. The Gaza Government Media Office has updated the death toll to at least 61,709 people, saying thousands of people who were missing are now presumed dead. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and more than 200 were taken captive.
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Countries, rights groups condemn Trump’s ICC sanctions
We have been reporting on President Trump’s decision on Thursday to authorise sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its employees, as he signed an executive order accusing it of “malign conduct” over its pursuit of charges against Israeli officials.
Countries and rights groups are responding to that move, with the Netherlands saying it “regrets” that the US has taken the step. The Netherland’s foreign minister, Caspar Veldkamp, described the court’s work as “essential in the fight against impunity”.
“The Netherlands actively contributes to strengthening the international legal order and multilateral cooperation and will, in good faith, fulfil binding international law and treaty obligations,” he said.
Amnesty International’s secretary-general Agnes Callamard has also condemned the decision, describing Trump’s order as a “reckless”, “vindictive” and “aggressive”, saying it undermines the court’s “independent pursuit of international justice”.
“Governments around the world and regional organisations must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of President Trump’s sanctions. Through collective and concerted actions, ICC member states can protect the Court and its staff. Urgent action is needed, like never before,” Callamard said.
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1h ago(04:30 GMT)
