• The US has sanctioned four ICC officials, including judges and prosecutors.
• Sanctions target individuals involved in investigations of alleged war crimes against US and Israeli nationals.
• The ICC has condemned the sanctions, calling them a threat to judicial independence.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel welcomed the sanctions as a protective measure.
• France expressed dismay, citing the sanctions as contradictory to judicial independence principles.

The Trump administration has escalated its confrontation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) by imposing new sanctions on four officials, including judges Kimberly Prost of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France, as well as prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. These actions arise from the ICC's involvement in investigations surrounding alleged war crimes committed by US and Israeli officials, particularly in relation to the Gaza conflict, according to Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, and BBC.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the ICC as a "national security threat" and cited the officials' engagement in "illegitimate actions" against the United States and its allies. Guillou is known for presiding over a case that authorized arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, while Prost was involved in investigations into alleged war crimes by US forces in Afghanistan, which has since been deprioritized, reports TRT World, South China Morning Post, and India Times.

The International Criminal Court has vehemently criticized the sanctions, calling them a "flagrant attack" on its independence and an affront to the international rule of law. The court maintains that it operates under a mandate supported by 125 states and will continue to fulfill its duties irrespective of external pressures, as highlighted by Le Monde, India Times, and HuffPost.

In a notable response, Netanyahu expressed his approval of the sanctions, viewing them as a decisive measure against a so-called smear campaign targeting Israel's actions. Conversely, the French government expressed significant concern, asserting that the sanctions contradict the principles of judicial independence, reflecting sentiments shared by various international bodies regarding the implications for the ICC's functionality and global justice mechanisms. This discontent has been echoed by various countries, including Belgium, which reaffirmed its support for the court, as emphasized by Dawn and AA.