SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Hungary on Thursday said that it would be withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC) after hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – the subject of an ICC arrest warrant for his involvement in “war crimes” in Gaza.

Netanyahu conducted his first visit to a European country since the arrest warrant was issued against him by the ICC over four months ago, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowed not to act on the arrest order, Israeli media reported.

The Hageu-based court issued the warrant in November 2024 after finding reasonable grounds that Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant each bear “criminal responsibility” for “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts,” as co-perpetrators, from at least October 8, 2023, until at least May 20, 2024.

“Hungary withdraws from the International Criminal Court,”  Orban's Chief of Staff Gergely Gulyas wrote in a Facebook post. “The government will initiate the dismissal proceedings on Thursday in accordance with constitutional and international law frameworks.”

The ICC on Thursday urged Budapest to fulfil its “duty” by carrying out the arrest of Netanyahu, recalling that “Hungary remains under duty to cooperate” with the international court, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah said.

The move was condemned by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock as “bad day for international criminal law,” in a speech during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

Netanyahu hailed Hungary's decision to leave the ICC during a joint presser with the Hungarian premier, calling it a “bold and principled position” in defiance of the “corrupt organization.”

Israel launched an extensive offensive on the Gaza strip on October 8, 2023, killing tens of thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands more, interrupted by a short-lived ceasefire on January 19, that lasted less than two months.

More than 1,100 have been killed with over 2,700 wounded since the Israeli military resumed its heavy strikes on Gaza on March 18, citing “Hamas' repeated refusal” to release hostages and the group’s “rejection” of proposals to alter the original truce deal.

Hamas on Thursday condemned Hungary's announcement of its withdrawal from the international court as “a slap in the face to the principle of international justice” in a statement. Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA) both urged Hungary to hand over Netanyahu to the ICC.