France expressed support for the decision of the International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan to issue arrest warrants for Israel's leaders. In a statement issues late on Monday, the French Foreign Ministry said it supported the independence of the International Criminal Court.
"France supports the International Criminal Court, its independence, and the fight against impunity in all situations," the statement read
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Benjamin Netanyahu, Emmanuel Macron
(Photo: Christophe Ena / AFP, Ludovic Marin / AFP)
"France has been warning for many months of the need for strict compliance with international humanitarian law, and in particular of the unacceptable level of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip and inadequate humanitarian access."
The statement also backed the decision to issue warrants against Hamas leaders. "France condemned the anti-Semitic massacres perpetrated by Hamas" during the group's attack on Israel on October 7, which was "accompanied by acts of torture and sexual violence".
In January France came out against South Africa's claims that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, an accusation being litigated in the International Court of Justice.
"Accusing the Jewish state of genocide crosses a moral threshold. The notion of genocide cannot be exploited for political ends," Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne told parliament.
On Monday ICC's Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan that he has requested arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, the head of the terror group's military wing Mohammed Deif and the leader of its political bureau Ismail Haniyeh on charges of war crimes.