Amal Clooney was one of eight members of a panel designated by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to evaluate arrest warrants for Hamas and key Israeli leaders.

Senior British attorneys who worked as consultants in the ICC’s case against Israel for its Gaza offensive have been forewarned by the British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office that they may be subject to sanctions from the Trump administration.

A group of legal and academic specialists was gathered by ICC prosecutor Kharim Khan in January 2024 to examine his inquiry into the suspected crimes during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

The panel’s goal was to ascertain if the people included in the petitions for arrest warrants had committed crimes that fell under the purview of the ICC, such as crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.

Among the professionals who counseled Khan was Clooney, a well-known British barrister with expertise in human rights and international law. Additionally, she teaches as an adjunct professor at New York City’s Columbia Law School.

Clooney co-founded the nonprofit Clooney Foundation for Justice, which offers victims of human rights violations free legal assistance. She has previously defended victims of widespread violence before the ICC and the International Court of Justice.

Matrix Chambers barrister Danny Friedman, Labor peer Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws, former British judge Lord Justice Adrian Fulford, Judge Theodor Meron CMG, and Elizabeth Wilmshurst CMG KC joined her on the panel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh were among the five prominent Israeli and Hamas figures Khan named in his inquiry.

Following months of “an extensive process of review and analysis,” Clooney and her fellow panel members published a legal report and joint statement via the Financial Times on May 20, 2024, explaining why they “support the ICC’s prosecution for crimes in Israel and Gaza.”

In this statement, they declared that the panel had unanimously decided that Khan’s evidence was adequate to bring charges against the conflict’s leaders.

“The judges of the ICC will ultimately determine which warrants, if any, should be issued. And as investigations continue, we hope that state authorities, witnesses and survivors will engage with the judicial process,” they said.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in November 2024 on allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The three Hamas commanders were also charged, but they have already passed away.

Khan’s involvement in the ICC’s investigation against Israel led to President Donald Trump signing an executive order in February of this year that imposed sanctions on him, including the suspension of his entry into the United States and the banning of his assets and property.

The president also issued a 60-day deadline for internal recommendations from those who contributed to the case, warning that additional actions could be taken against them. The due date was April 7.

Many people expressed their annoyance on social media after learning that Clooney would not be allowed to enter the United States due to impending sanctions from the Trump administration.

“‘Even Disgraceful Says It’s Disgraceful!’” one person wrote. “This is infuriating!!” another exclaimed. “She would be heartbroken,” a fan sympathized. “Isn’t she married to an American citizen?” someone else asked.

Actor George Clooney is the spouse of the lawyer. Social media users had previously criticized her for not publicly discussing the dispute and advocating for its victims.

Following her joint statement with her panel, she released a personal address. “I served on this Panel because I believe in the rule of law and the need to protect civilian lives,” she wrote on the Clooney Foundation website.

Clooney underlined that regardless of the causes of the fight, all nations are subject to the laws safeguarding civilians in war, which have been in place for more than a century. She does not believe that the life of one kid is more or less valuable than the life of another, as a human rights attorney.

The mother of two said she does not accept that any conflict should be “beyond the reach of the law,” nor should any perpetrator be above it.

Since the arrest warrants have been issued, Netanyahu’s office dismissed the charges as “false and absurd.” It should also be noted that Israel, along with the US, is not among the countries that signed the international treaty that created the ICC and, therefore, does not accept the court’s jurisdiction.