The announcement followed a meeting in Rome, where G7 ministers from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United States, and host country Italy convened. The joint statement, posted on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, stated:
"We reiterate our commitment to International Humanitarian Law and will comply with our respective obligations."
While the statement affirmed the G7’s adherence to the ICC’s legal framework, it did not explicitly address the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. Reports suggest that Italy, as host, attempted to establish a consensus among the member states on the matter but was unable to do so.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant six months after Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan formally requested them. This marks the first time in the ICC’s 22-year history that such warrants have been issued for senior officials from a Western-allied state.
In its decision, the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I unanimously rejected challenges by Israel under the Rome Statute and cited ongoing violations as justification for making the warrants public.
"Conduct similar to that addressed in the warrant of arrest appears to be ongoing," the chamber noted, referencing Israel's continued military offensive in Gaza.
As signatories to the Rome Statute, 125 member states are obligated to arrest and surrender individuals wanted by the ICC. However, the court lacks enforcement powers, relying instead on state cooperation.
Although Israel is not a member of the ICC, the State of Palestine was granted membership in 2015, allowing the court to investigate alleged crimes committed in occupied territories, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
The ICC’s actions follow growing international criticism of Israel's offensive in Gaza, which has continued despite a legally binding International Court of Justice (ICJ) order for Israel to halt operations in Rafah. The ICJ stated that such actions might violate the Genocide Convention.
Since October 7, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has claimed at least 44,249 Palestinian lives and injured 104,746 others. Palestinian and international organizations report that women and children account for the majority of the casualties.
In addition to the fatalities, over 10,000 people remain missing, presumed buried beneath rubble. Nearly two million residents have been forcibly displaced, with most seeking refuge in the overcrowded southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border. This mass exodus has been described as the largest displacement of Palestinians since the 1948 Nakba.
As G7 nations navigate their legal and political responsibilities under the ICC framework, questions persist about enforcement and accountability in the absence of direct mechanisms to compel Israel to comply. The situation underscores the growing divide between international legal norms and geopolitical realities. (ILKHA)