Rubio says US sanctioning ICC judges for targeting Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the U.S. was sanctioning two judges of the International Criminal Court for targeting Israel.

“Today, I am designating two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, pursuant to Executive Order 14203,” Rubio said in a statement, referring to the order President Donald Trump signed in February sanctioning the ICC.

“These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent,” he said.

The United States and Israel are not members of the ICC.

The U.S. sanctions in February include freezing any U.S. assets of those designated and barring them and their families from visiting the United States.

ICC rejects Israeli bid to halt Gaza war investigation

Earlier on 15 december 2025, appeals judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC)  rejected one in a series of legal challenges brought by Israel against the court’s probe into its conduct of the Gaza war.

On appeal, judges refused to overturn a lower court decision that the prosecution’s investigation into alleged crimes under its jurisdiction could include events following the deadly attack on Israel by Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023.

The ruling means the investigation continues and the arrest warrants issued last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant remain in place.

Israel rejects the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and denies war crimes in Gaza, where it has waged a military campaign it says is aimed at eliminating Hamas following the October 7 attacks.

The ICC initially also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, but withdrew that later following credible reports of his death.

A ceasefire agreement in the conflict took effect on October 10, but the war destroyed, much of Gaza’s infrastructure, and living conditions are dire.