Mark Ruffalo calls Netanyahu 'murderous maniac,' says ICC prosecutor's removal does not change war crimes guilt

American actor Mark Ruffalo issued a sharp rebuke of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asserting that the removal of the International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor cannot hide his atrocities in Gaza.

"You are a murderous maniac Benjamin Netanyahu," Ruffalo wrote on US social media company X on Sunday.

He argued that lobbying to remove Karim Khan, who issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, does not mean "the war crimes disappear, or your guilt is assuaged."

Ruffalo maintained that the Israeli leader "will not lobby history" and will always be remembered for his actions. "You will not outrun justice."

The actor's comments followed Netanyahu's welcoming of the removal of Khan. Member states of the ICC voted on Friday to dismiss the chief prosecutor over sexual misconduct allegations, which Khan denies.

Khan issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in an offensive that has killed over 73,000 people in Gaza since October 2023 and has destroyed the enclave.

Ruffalo, one of Hollywood's most outspoken voices for Palestinian rights, has frequently labeled the situation in Gaza as genocide and ethnic cleansing, a finding also supported by a number of UN agencies and rights groups.