The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has asked Hungary to explain why it failed to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit, despite an active ICC warrant for crimes against humanity in Gaza. In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 16, the court requested that Budapest submit a formal clarification by 23 May 2025.
Starvation in Gaza as a method of warfare (Photo: WAFA)
According to the Hague-based tribunal, Netanyahu was in Hungary from 3 to 6 April, months after the ICC issued the arrest warrant in November 2024. Hungary, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, is obligated to comply with such warrants. In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant, accusing the Israeli leaders of directing attacks against Gazan civilians and of using starvation as a method of warfare
The case marks one of the most high-profile challenges to the ICC’s authority, as it presses member states to enforce arrest orders against world leaders accused of war crimes. Shortly before meeting with Netanyahu in Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary would be withdrawing from the ICC.
Also on Wednesday, Hadash MK Ofer Cassif wrote to Chief Prosecutor in The Hague, Karim Khan, demanding the investigation of the Israeli political echelon for preventing humanitarian aid to Gaza and to prosecute Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Israel Katz, and members of the war cabinet for their involvement in war crimes.
This follows repeated appeals to the relevant authorities in Israel, including the Attorney General and the Military Advocate General, regarding war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, which have not received any substantive response. According to MK Cassif, “The government’s policy endangers not only the residents of Gaza, but also the Israeli hostages who have been abandoned by the government to torture and death in agony in the hands of cruel captors. It is imperative to oppose the evil of the Netanyahu’s government!”
The United Nations said yesterday that the Israeli occupation authorities continue to obstruct the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza, noting that aid has not entered the Strip for nearly two months. Stephanie Tremblay, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, explained in a press conference that humanitarian aid has not entered Gaza for nearly two months, stressing the need to continue providing aid without interruption.
She noted that humanitarian workers continue to face difficulties in carrying out their duties, and that the occupation authorities only allowed the passage of two of the six humanitarian aid operations planned for yesterday. The restrictions imposed by the occupation on humanitarian access hinder the ability to supply hospitals with medical supplies, endangering the health of more patients, according to the United Nations.
Since March 2, the occupation has prevented the entry of essential supplies, including food and water, into the Gaza Strip after closing the crossings, causing a humanitarian disaster and exacerbating famine.
On Wednesday, Hadash MKs Aida Touma-Sliman, Yousef Atawneh and Cassif met with the British Ambassador in Israel, Simon Walters. “We discussed Israel’s war of destruction in Gaza, the humanitarian catastrophe it has created, and the urgent need for a principled and active stance from the UK — one that prioritizes human rights, international law, the value of every civilian life, and the recognition of the Palestinian state,” Touma-Sliman reported.
“We also raised serious concerns about the situation facing Palestinian citizens of Israel: the surge in organized crime, the passage of fascist laws targeting political dissent, and the ongoing home demolitions in the Negev — all part of a broader policy of systemic repression. The ambassador listened attentively to our concerns and pledged to maintain communication and promote continued cooperation,” she agreed.
