ICC Deputy Prosecutor Says Gaza Probes Advanced While Staff Feel Banking Strain

The International Criminal Court has issued no new charges related to the war in Gaza since late 2024, yet the deputy prosecutor says internal progress has been steady since November 2024.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, who is co-running the prosecutor's office until a new chief is appointed, stated that the investigations into the Gaza conflict and other situations have made significant progress. She noted that the court is currently keeping all new charges and warrant applications secret until judges approve their public release. This procedural secrecy creates an appearance of inactivity, but Khan assured that work continues on the situation in Gaza as well as other cases.

The court faces external pressure from new US sanctions announced on 9 October by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio described the ICC as a rogue court and declared that either the court would end its threats against the US, or the US would end the court. He provided a six-month grace period for the ICC to negotiate a solution to Washington's concerns, though the specific requirements for satisfaction remain undefined.

Despite the six-month buffer before the sanctions officially take effect, Khan reported that some staff are already experiencing banking difficulties. She described banks as over-complying to minimize risk while the scope of the measures is uncertain. In principle, individual staff members should not be directly impacted by institutional sanctions, but Khan said she is hearing reports from employees about struggles with their bank accounts.

To reduce its dependence on the US administration, the court is switching its software from Microsoft to European alternatives and renegotiating contracts for banking and health insurance. Khan said the court has not reduced its investigative capacity or output in response to the sanctions, although she acknowledged it is impossible to predict the full impact once the measures become fully active.

Khan has personal experience with US financial measures, as she was one of 13 ICC staff targeted by the US in February 2025. She described the inconvenience of life without a credit card, particularly regarding travel, but noted that her situation is less severe than the conditions faced by victims in refugee camps and sites of mass atrocities. She said these victims often view sanctions and credit cards as irrelevant to their primary desire for justice.

The prosecutor's office is also dealing with internal challenges. Formal investigations began in late November 2024 into allegations of sexual harassment against former chief prosecutor Karim Khan. The British jurist denied the charges and was removed from his position in July 2026 following a vote by member states. He is not related to the current deputy prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan.

Rubio claimed this month that globalist experts wanted the ICC to prosecute US citizens, though Khan said it was unclear what he meant. She noted that the court has not brought any Americans before it. If the reference was to the Afghanistan situation, Khan said the priority is prosecuting offenses committed against women and girls by the Taliban and the Islamic State Khorasan. This month, the court's pretrial chamber unsealed four arrest warrants against Taliban members on charges of gender persecution.

The ICC registrar is currently negotiating with the European Union to block the sanctions or protect the court through other means. On Thursday, the European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the court and its officials. Khan called this support a vital message for staff, stating that the attention the court receives reflects its relevance to victims who have no other avenue for justice and wish to bypass politics.