Activists say Peru opened Gaza war crimes investigation against Israeli citizen

Peru has opened a war crimes investigation into an Israeli citizen who served in the war against Hamas in Gaza, the Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation says in a statement.

The foundation says the combat engineering soldier “is alleged to have played a direct role in the methodical and systematic destruction of civilian neighbourhoods in the Gaza Strip during the 2023–2024 military offensive.”

​“Justice is not optional. Justice is imperative,” said foundation chairman Dyab Abou Jahjah. “This investigation marks a decisive step in the dismantling of Israeli impunity,” he added.

Launched in September 2024, the Hind Rajab Foundation has used social media posts by Israeli soldiers, officers and reservists in an attempt to have them arrested for alleged war crimes when they travel abroad.

War erupted in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led over 5,000 attackers to invade southern Israel, killing 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking 251 as hostages to Gaza.

Israel responded with a military campaign to destroy the terror group, remove it from power in Gaza and save the hostages.

Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools and mosques.