The judges hit with US sanctions on Thursday – Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia – had voted earlier this week to reject a challenge by Israel which sought to end a war crimes probe in Gaza.

The US has already sanctioned nine ICC judges and prosecutors for their probes of alleged Israeli war crimes.

“Yesterday’s announcement of US sanctions against two more (ICC) judges… represents a further intensification of reprisals against international institutions,” the UN rights office said on X.

The US sanctions were linked to the ICC decision in November 2024 to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said in a statement on Thursday that the newly sanctioned judges had earlier this week voted to uphold those warrants.

Washington also imposed sanctions last July on Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, who has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

“Such targeting of judges, as well as prosecutors and UN experts, runs counter to the rule of law and administration of justice,” the UN rights office said Friday.