The Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights is a Palestinian non-governmental organization (NGO) that uses research and legal advocacy to promote the protection of human rights for communities within the Gaza Strip region. ¹

Controversy

In September 2025, the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights was one of three organizations, the other two being Al-Haq and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, to be sanctioned by the U.S State Department over their participation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute Israeli officials over allegations of crimes committed by the IDF and Israeli government during the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza. Top officials being targeted by the ICC include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, both being issued arrest warrants by the ICC on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in 2024. In a statement, the U.S State Department announced, “The ongoing actions of the ICC set a dangerous precedent for all nations, and we will actively oppose actions that threaten our national interests and infringe on the sovereignty of the United States and our allies, including Israel.” ²

1. “Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights.” ESCR-Net, Accessed April 18, 2023. https://www.escr-net.org/member/al-mezan-center-human-rights
2. Wendler, Jacob. “State Department sanctions NGOs tied to International Criminal Court’s Israel probe.” Politico, September 4, 2025. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/04/palestinian-icc-state-department-sanctions-00545374