The United Nations investigators have alleged that genocide is taking place in Gaza. As a result, Israel and several of its leaders have been indicted at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), both based in The Hague.
At the ICC, individuals such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant have arrest warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity—including starving, killing, and persecuting civilians. They have not yet been charged with genocide.
Meanwhile, at the ICJ, Israel was sued by South Africa for violating the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. The court has already issued emergency rulings, such as ordering a halt to operations in Rafah and allowing humanitarian aid to enter. The broader case of genocide could only begin in 2027.
Important: The process is very slow. The ICC relies on 125 member states to execute arrest warrants. If Israel does not extradite Netanyahu, it is unlikely that he will appear in court. The ICJ has given Israel until January 2026 to submit a response.
For experts, it could take 5 to 10 years before these cases have a clear impact. As the process drags on, the big question remains whether the situation in Gaza will change.
