Israeli Hostage Families Sue ICC Chief: “Karim Khan Turned The Court Into Hamas’ Branch Office”
Families of three Israeli hostages have sued ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan for $5.9 million, alleging he supported Hamas by delaying action against its leaders while targeting Israel, possibly to deflect from personal misconduct allegations. The lawsuit, filed in Jerusalem, aims to hold Khan accountable and address the ongoing captivity of hostages in Gaza.
Families of three Israeli hostages; Avinatan Or, Eitan Mor, and Omri Miran held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, have filed a NIS 20 million ($5.9 million) lawsuit against International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan. Represented by Shurat HaDin, Israel Law Center, the families accuse Khan of turning the ICC into “a branch office of Hamas” by failing to pursue justice for their loved ones while targeting Israeli leaders. Attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner stated, “The International Criminal Court has become a branch of Hamas. Through [Khan’s] direct actions, he gave an enormous tailwind to the terrorist murderers.”
The lawsuit highlights Khan’s eight-month delay in seeking arrest warrants for Hamas leaders like Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Ismail Haniyeh, all killed by Israel, while promptly requesting warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 for alleged war crimes. The families argue, “The blood libels the defendant wove against the State of Israel and its leaders, by creating a false moral equivalence between the State of Israel, the victim, and the terrorists who hold the hostages and abuse them daily, granted legitimacy to the terrorists to continue extorting Israel while holding and abusing the hostages.” Israel denies the ICC’s charges, citing extensive humanitarian aid efforts and measures to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza.
The suit also alleges Khan’s actions were partly to deflect from sexual misconduct accusations by a Malaysian lawyer in her 30s who worked with him. She testified to UN investigators about multiple instances of abuse in locations including New York, Colombia, and The Hague. In December 2023, she described a New York incident, saying, “He always holds on to me and leads me to the bed. It’s the feeling of being trapped.” After learning on April 29, 2024, that she had shared the allegations, Khan reportedly said on May 2, “But then people will think I’m running away from Palestine,” when confronted about resigning.
He later canceled a planned Israel-Gaza visit and announced warrants against Israeli leaders on May 20, 2024, allegedly pressuring the woman to retract her claims by invoking the Palestinian case: “The casualties will unfortunately be three: You and your family, me and my family and the justice of the victims that are on the cusp of progress. Think about the Palestinian arrest warrants.” Khan denies all allegations, stating through lawyers that it is “untrue that he has engaged in sexual misconduct of any kind.” The UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services is investigating both the misconduct claims and possible retaliation by Khan.
The lawsuit, filed in Jerusalem District Court on August 13, 2025, seeks to hold Khan accountable and deter future ICC prosecutors, with 50 hostages, including 20 believed alive, still in Gaza.