A federal court in Brazil ordered an investigation into a visiting Israeli, who served in the IDF, for possible war crimes after the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) provided the court with documentation of the soldier's activity in the war in Gaza. The suspect was a survivor of the Nova music festival massacre on Oct. 7. According to reports he was able to leave Brazil before any legal action was taken against him.
The foundation that was named for a six-year-old Palestinian girl that was claimed to have been killed by IDF fire during the war, said that the Brazilian government decided to take action after a complaint was filed against the Israeli who arrived in Brazil a week ago. In their complaint the foundation said his actions were part of a broader effort that included genocide and crimes against humanity, according to international law.
The foundation provided video clips, geographic locations and photos allegedly showing the Israeli placing explosives and participating in the destruction of "entire neighborhoods" in Gaza that were claimed to have been housing displaced Gazans, last November. "These materials prove beyond doubt the direct involvement of the suspect in these despicable acts," HRF said.
According to a report in the Metropoles online newspaper, a Brazilian lawyer explained that the investigation in Brazil was initiated because the country is a signatory of the Rome Statue. "Any country that has signed the statue is compelled to ensure that crimes such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide must be investigated and their perpetrators must be brought to justice," she said.
It called on Brazil to immediately detain the suspect before he flees the country and "destroys evidence," adding that the families whose homes were destroyed have joined the complaint.
IDF soldiers locate explosives in Gaza kindergarten
(IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The IDF last month, warned Israelis who had served in the fighting in Gaza that they could be subjected to criminal proceedings abroad and urged them to remove any social media posts they may have had, showing them during the war.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The military has identified about 30 cases of criminal proceedings initiated against its members. At least eight soldiers, including some who had traveled to Cyprus, Slovenia and the Netherlands, were forced to leave immediately.