Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to travel to Hungary on April 2, undeterred by an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to reports from his office.
During his visit, he plans to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other top officials before returning to Israel on April 6.
The ICC has accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, but Hungary, as reported by Le Monde, does not recognize the court’s authority in this matter and has no intention of enforcing the warrant.
The ongoing war in Gaza erupted after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 others. In response, Israel’s military campaign has led to over 50,000 Palestinian deaths and displaced more than 90% of Gaza’s population.
Ceasefire Talks in Limbo as Violence Persists
On March 18, a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed, with Israeli forces resuming airstrikes and ground operations. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States continue their efforts to broker a new truce and secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Hamas announced on Saturday that it had accepted a ceasefire proposal from the mediators, but Israel countered with its own terms, leaving negotiations in a deadlock.
Meanwhile, the violence shows no signs of abating. On Sunday, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, an Israeli airstrike reportedly killed eight people, including five children, further intensifying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
