The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday condemned the issuance of an executive order by the United States president that seeks to impose sanctions on its officials and " harm its independent and impartial judicial work." The ICC said it stands firmly by its staff and pledges to continue to bring justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world. The Court in The Hague said it will do so "in all situations before it" and "in the sole interest of human dignity."
Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, strongly condemned the United States government’s decision to impose sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges. On Friday, Türk called the sanctions “deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice” and urged the United States to promptly reconsider and withdraw them.
Established in 2002 under the multilateral Rome Statute, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and international court based in The Hague, the Netherlands. The ICC, which has 125 state parties, the majority of the world's states, is independent but is supported by the United Nations General Assembly.
Humanitarian aid plays a crucial role in responding to the urgent needs of people affected by crises, including armed conflicts, natural disasters, and health emergencies. DONARE consists of more than 2,000 pages related to humanitarian action. You can navigate through some of the content using the topics listed below. Learn about organizations, global issues, and initiatives dedicated to alleviating human suffering.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Friday that Israel must immediately halt its military offensive in the Rafah Governorate of the Gaza Strip and keep open the Rafah border crossing for the unimpeded delivery of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian aid at scale. The new interim measures come as the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the bombed and besieged Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate, with extremely limited aid reaching the besieged enclave.
War crimes are serious violations of the laws and customs of war, also known as International Humanitarian Law (IHL), that give rise to individual criminal responsibility. They are defined in various international treaties and agreements, most notably the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
International Humanitarian Law (IHL), also known as the laws of war or the law of armed conflict, is a set of rules and principles that aim to limit the effects of armed conflict and protect individuals who are not or are no longer taking part in the hostilities. It seeks to balance military necessity with humanitarian considerations, minimizing unnecessary suffering and safeguarding the rights of civilians and other non-combatants.
Crimes against humanity are certain acts that are deliberately committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population. These crimes are defined in international law and are considered among the most serious of international crimes. Crimes against humanity are defined in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which lists several acts that constitute these crimes “when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against any civilian population.”
Genocide is a term used to describe violent crimes committed against a group with the intent to destroy the existence of the group, in whole or in part. The United Nations Genocide Convention, adopted in 1948, provides a legal definition of genocide as any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Thursday that he is seeking arrest warrants for senior Taliban leaders in Afghanistan accused of crimes against humanity, citing widespread persecution of the country's female population and its LGBTQI+ population. The request comes as Afghanistan continues to suffer from one of the world's largest human rights and humanitarian crises.
A group of Sudanese rights and professional bodies has accused both warring parties in Sudan of committing atrocities that could be prosecuted as war crimes and crimes against humanity. In a petition addressed to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the coalition called for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The human rights group Amnesty International (AI) accused Israel of committing acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza in a report released Thursday. It's the first time the leading non-governmental human rights organization has leveled such an accusation during an active conflict. Genocide is a term used to describe violent crimes committed against a group with the intent to destroy the existence of the group, in whole or in part.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, with civilian casualties mounting due to the ongoing conflict and a growing number of people in need of protection. Meanwhile, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced that he is seeking an arrest warrant for Myanmar's Acting President, General Min Aung Hlaing, for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya people committed in 2017.
The United Nations says more than one million Palestinians have fled the southernmost town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip as Israeli attacks there continue despite a binding order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to halt the offensive in Rafah immediately. Meanwhile, the Israeli government is torpedoing its own proposal to achieve a full and complete ceasefire in Gaza as part of a deal that would secure the release of all hostages, offer a roadmap to end the war, and rush desperately needed humanitarian aid throughout Gaza.
Sources in Iran report steadily rising numbers of fatalities from Israeli attacks. More than 450 people have reportedly been killed in the country, including dozens of women and children, and more than 1,400 people have reportedly been injured in Israeli airstrikes and missile attacks that began early Friday. Meanwhile, Israeli health authorities say that 24 people have been killed and more than 600 injured by Iranian counter-strikes since Friday.
Israeli government and military authorities are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during military operations and attacks in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel said in a report released Wednesday. The Commission also found that Palestinian non-state armed groups are responsible for war crimes committed in Israel.
While negotiations for a comprehensive cease-fire and hostage deal in the Gaza Strip are reportedly underway between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, a US-led proposal has not been officially accepted by either side. At the same time, the carnage and humanitarian catastrophe on the ground continues as the war entered its ninth month, with people dying across Gaza from Israeli attacks, starvation, or lack of basic resources.
In Haiti, millions of people are in need of humanitarian assistance to fight hunger amid a deteriorating security situation where armed gangs control or influence up to 90 percent of the capital. The country has a long history of natural disasters and remains highly vulnerable to hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. In 2025, half of Haiti's population, some 6 million people, are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 3.3 million children.
A senior United Nations official has called Wednesday for a negotiated solution to the conflict in Sudan, saying there is no alternative. Meanwhile, UN agencies warn health conditions are deteriorating in Sudan and neighboring countries as growing numbers of people flee escalating fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
An independent rights expert warns that multifaceted crises facing Mali, propelled by increasing attacks from Islamist armed groups, are leading to a rapid deterioration of the country’s security situation and surging human rights violations, with potentially serious effects in the region. The warning comes as Mali is experiencing enormous humanitarian needs, with 30 percent of the population - 7.1 million - in need of assistance this year.
