Nine countries have announced the formation of The Hague Group, a coalition committed to holding Israel accountable for war crimes in Palestine, enforcing international law, and pushing for an end to Israeli occupation.
The initiative was announced on Friday, 31 January in The Hague, Netherlands, increasing international legal pressure on Israel.
The founding nations—Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal, and South Africa—stressed their commitment to implementing binding rulings from international courts and ensuring justice for Palestinians.
The coalition follows a series of legal cases that have increased scrutiny on Israel, including the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling in South Africa v. Israel in December 2023, which raised concerns over genocide in Gaza.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes, including targeting civilians and using starvation as a weapon.
The ICJ’s 2024 advisory opinion also reinforced the illegality of Israeli settlements.
In their statement, The Hague Group outlined steps to limit Israel’s military capabilities, including halting arms transfers, blocking military supply routes, and cooperating with the ICC to enforce arrest warrants against Israeli officials.
The initiative signals growing pressure from the Global South against Israel and highlights increasing legal action from countries backing Palestine.
The group called on all nations to take effective measures to end Israel’s occupation and cut military and political support enabling ongoing violations.
The ongoing war on Gaza, which began on 7 October, 2023, has resulted in nearly 47,000 Palestinian deaths, primarily women and children, and over 110,700 injuries according to local health authorities.
