Swiss lawyers file ICC complaint accusing government of complicity over Gaza

A group of Swiss lawyers has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court, accusing their government of failing to meet its international legal obligations in relation to Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The complaint relies on reports issued by United Nations bodies and independent international human rights organisations in characterising events in Gaza as genocide.

According to sources familiar with the filing, the complaint places particular emphasis on Switzerland’s status as the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions, arguing that this role carries heightened legal and moral responsibilities.

The plaintiffs include 25 lawyers from both French- and German-speaking regions of Switzerland, a move they say reflects broad concern within parts of the country’s legal community.

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The complaint contains direct accusations that policies pursued by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis facilitated Israeli military operations in Gaza.

The lawyers argue that Switzerland’s official position did not adequately reflect the gravity of Israel’s crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories and instead provided political and legal cover for their continuation.

According to the filing, Swiss exports of military equipment and dual-use materials to Israel during the war totalled approximately 16.7 million Swiss francs in 2024, rising to around 25 million francs the following year. The complainants described these exports as direct material support contributing to the ongoing conflict.

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