ICC Prosecutor Visits Israel to Meet with Oct. 7 Attack Survivors and Victims' Families

Secret contacts between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Israel have been ongoing since at least June of this year, leading to the surprise unofficial visit of the ICC chief prosecutor to Israel and the Palestinians. Israel has been concerned about the visit as it could potentially lead to the collection of evidence against Israelis for alleged war crimes. The ICC's talks with Israel are sensitive due to the geopolitical and legal consequences, and the institution aims to avoid appearing too friendly to Israel or ineffective. The visit was initially predicted to take place between July and September but was delayed and downgraded in certainty. The outbreak of the October 7 war elevated the Israel-Palestine issue to one of the ICC's top priorities. The future of the dialogue and the decision regarding war crimes allegations against the IDF and the settlement enterprise remain uncertain.