Video: US officials vehemently oppose ICC probe into Israel-Gaza conflict

US officials have consistently voiced strong opposition to the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

CNN reached out to the White House and the State Department for comments following the ICC’s announcement on Monday that it is seeking war crimes warrants for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu related to the October 7 attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. The State Department has not yet responded.

This is the first time the ICC has targeted the top leader of a close U.S. ally with such warrants. When the initial investigation was launched in March, the State Department stated, “Israel is not a party to the ICC and has not consented to the Court’s jurisdiction, and we have serious concerns about the ICC’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel. The Palestinians do not qualify as a sovereign state and therefore, are not qualified to obtain membership as a state in, participate as a state in, or delegate jurisdiction to the ICC.”

State Department officials have reiterated their opposition in recent weeks. “We’ve been really clear about the ICC investigation. We do not support it. We don’t believe that they have the jurisdiction. And I’m just going to leave it there for now,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in April.

When asked if the Biden administration would impose sanctions on top ICC officials if they proceeded with Israel indictments, State Department Spokesperson Matt Miller said he could not “make any predictions or any announcements.”