Palestinian-Belgian Group Files War Crimes Complaint in Italy Against Israeli Soldier
The Palestinian-Belgian organization Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed its fourth complaint in Italy against an Israeli soldier, identified only as Aba, who serves in the Combat Engineering Battalion 749. The complaint, submitted to the public prosecutor's office in Rome, accuses Aba of participating in war crimes and crimes against humanity during his deployment in Gaza since November 2023. HRF alleges that Aba was involved in systematic destruction in Gaza, particularly in the Nitsarim corridor, and claims he took part in acts amounting to genocide.
HRF's complaint references social media posts and videos allegedly posted by Aba himself, showing destruction and his involvement in explosive operations. The organization cites international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, urging Italian authorities to open a formal investigation. Unlike previous complaints, this one does not explicitly call for Aba's arrest but demands action under international law. HRF states Aba is currently in Italy.
The complaint highlights a controversial Facebook post by the battalion's deputy commander boasting about "flattening Gaza" and targeting civilian life, which was later removed. HRF claims the battalion's operations have been so notorious that the main road in Gaza’s Nitsarim corridor is nicknamed "Road 749" after the unit. The Israeli military has issued directives to soldiers to avoid posting images or videos that could be interpreted as harming civilians or violating international law, but enforcement remains limited.
HRF founder Diab Abu Jahjah, a Lebanese-born Belgian citizen with ties to Hezbollah, has focused on pursuing Israeli soldiers with dual citizenship to facilitate legal actions abroad. HRF has filed around 80 complaints in 29 countries, with some legal proceedings initiated in countries including Peru, Chile, Belgium, Romania, Portugal, and Greece. HRF litigation head Natasha Barak emphasized that Aba's actions were part of a broader policy to erase entire communities in Gaza, calling on Italian authorities to fulfill their international legal obligations.
This complaint follows previous HRF attempts to detain Israeli military figures during visits to Italy and other complaints against Israeli soldiers accused of involvement in Gaza operations. HRF’s campaign relies heavily on soldiers’ own social media content as evidence of alleged war crimes.
