The International Criminal Court (ICC) has vowed to continue its judicial work after US President Donald Trump signed an order to impose sanctions on its staff.

The ICC said it “stands firmly” by its personnel and the order seeks to harm its “independent and impartial” work.

Trump’s order accuses it of “illegitimate and baseless actions”, after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies. The ICC also issued a warrant for a Hamas commander.

The ICC is a global court, although the US and Israel are not members, with the power to bring prosecutions for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

In recent years, it has also issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, Taliban leaders for “persecuting Afghan girls and women” and Myanmar’s military leader for crimes against the Rohingya Muslims.

The sanctions place financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist in ICC investigations of American citizens or allies.

Reacting to Trump’s order, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said on X that the ICC “must be able to freely pursue the fight against global impunity”.”Europe will always stand for justice and the respect of international law,” she said.The Netherlands, which hosts the court, said it “regrets” Trump’s order.

The US has repeatedly rejected any jurisdiction by the body over American officials or citizens, and has accused the ICC of placing constraints on Israel’s right to self-defence, while ignoring Iran and anti-Israel groups.

While the US is not a member of the ICC, the former clerk to the court’s first chief prosecutor warned the sanctions could have “a profound practical impact” on its operations.

“The sanctions… do have the potential of freezing property and assets, as well as suspending entry into the United States of ICC officials and their immediate family members,” said Zachary Kaufman.

In his first term in office in 2020, Trump imposed sanctions on ICC officials who were investigating whether US forces had committed war crimes in Afghanistan.This included a travel ban and asset freezes against former chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.Those sanctions were lifted by President Joe Biden’s administration.

Last month, the US House of Representatives voted to sanction the ICC, but the bill foundered in the Senate.