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US ICC sanctions

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed serious concern over U-S decision to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court’s president and one of its senior lawyers. The UN rights chief also condemned the measure as “unacceptable,” urging countries to protect court’s officials from such retaliatory actions. The move also drew widespread criticism from the court itself and some UN member states. The ICC called the sanctions a flagrant attack on the independence of an impartial judicial institution and a violation of the rule of law. Germany, The Netherlands and Japan also condemned the move. The Dutch foreign minister voiced support for the court, saying international tribunals should be able to carry out their mandates freely. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions on Tuesday, describing the ICC as a threat to US national sovereignty and calling it a “sham.” US sanctions on the ICC came after the court issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and former minister of military affairs, Yoav Gallant, over war crimes in Gaza.

Slamming Israel Gaza crimes 

The recent remarks by Israel’s extremist security minister about killing the people of Gaza have drawn strong condemnation from the UN chief and several European countries. Itamar Ben Gvir said Israel should kill "30 or 40" people every night in Gaza. UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, condemned Ben-Gvir's remarks, calling them appalling and outrageous. He added that Ben Gvir’s statements were dehumanizing and dangerous. Germany and France also strongly condemned the Israeli extremist minister’s remarks. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ben Gvir’s inhumane appeals violate international law, while the German government spokesman said his remarks were totally unacceptable. French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, also slammed Ben Gvir’s remarks, calling them "intolerable and inhumane." Ben Gvir, who is already facing calls from several European countries for bloc-wide sanctions, said targeted eliminations should be carried out in Gaza every night to take out 30 or 40 Palestinians. Ben-Gvir noted that the people of Gaza shouldn't be alive, adding in dehumanizing remarks that he was paying Gazans a compliment by calling them humans.

Plight of Palestinian prisoners 

A Palestinian prisoners’ right society warns that Israel is preparing a dedicated prison wing for Palestinians sentenced to death, calling for urgent international action to halt the regime’s crimes. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, the special wing includes a chamber for carrying out executions of Palestinian prisoners. It described Israel’s preparations for conducting death sentences against Palestinians as a “crime against humanity.” The society said the move comes after the regime’s parliament passed a law in March, allowing the death penalty to be imposed on Palestinian prisoners. It added that the move is also part of Israel’s policy to use Palestinian prisoners as a “political bargaining chip.” The society said more than 100 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli prisons as a result of torture, sexual violence, malnutrition, medical neglect, and the spread of disease. Figures cited by Palestinian rights organizations show there are more than 9,400 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, including 92 women and more than370 children.

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