A coalition of American activists and international human rights lawyers has formally asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior American officials over their alleged role in supporting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The group, known as the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (TAAG), submitted evidence to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor in The Hague on Wednesday, November 11. It alleges that US officials aided and abetted genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel in the Palestinian territory.
The submission does not mean the ICC has opened an investigation or issued arrest warrants. The court has not yet ruled on the allegations.
Evidence Submitted to ICC Prosecutor
TAAG said its submission included sworn affidavits from doctors who had worked in Gaza, eyewitness accounts, whistleblower testimony, video evidence and documents relating to US military, financial, diplomatic and political support for Israel.
The group also included testimony from Dr Feroze Sidhwa, an American trauma surgeon who has worked in Gaza twice, and David McIntosh, a former manager at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
The material is intended to support the group’s allegations that American officials bear responsibility for assisting Israel’s actions through continued support.
The delegation called for accountability, arguing that government officials should not be exempt from international law because of their positions.
Francesca Albanese Calls for Political Courage
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, addressed a press conference in The Hague following the submission.
She said international law remained an important peaceful instrument for confronting injustice and stressed that legal mechanisms were available but required political courage to be used.
Albanese’s remarks came as the activists urged the ICC prosecutor to examine the evidence and consider action against senior US officials.
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US Rejects ICC Jurisdiction
The request faces significant legal and political obstacles. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, and Washington rejects the court’s jurisdiction over American and Israeli nationals.
The Trump administration has also taken measures against the ICC, including sanctions targeting its judges and prosecutors over actions involving the United States and Israel.
In July, Rubio said the administration would dismantle the court, “brick by brick, if necessary”.
Israel has rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, while the ICC has not made any ruling on the allegations contained in the latest submission.
Previous ICC Warrants Against Israeli Leaders
The latest submission comes after the ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes committed during the Gaza conflict.
The warrants marked a major development in the court’s proceedings concerning the war. However, the new request targeting Trump, Rubio and other US officials remains at the evidence-submission stage.
According to figures cited by Anadolu Agency, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza since October 2023 has killed more than 74,600 Palestinians and wounded nearly 176,000. The agency also reported extensive destruction of the territory’s infrastructure.
The ICC prosecutor will have to assess the submitted material before deciding whether any further legal action is warranted. For now, the activists’ request represents an appeal for an investigation, not a court finding of criminal responsibility.
Source: The Express Tribune, Anadolu Agency.
