An IDF reserve officer who served in Gaza was forced to leave Cyprus and return to Israel over the weekend at the urging of the Foreign and Justice Ministries, fearing that pro-Palestinian organizations in the country might pursue arrest warrants against him for alleged war crimes.
The decision followed revelations that the officer had uploaded videos from Gaza to social media over the past year, including footage in which he appeared to boast about his actions. In one video, for instance, he said, "We're here in Rafah — we won’t stop until we burn all of Gaza."
Footage the reserve officer uploaded to social media
The reservist, identified as A.L., posted videos documenting his service in Gaza during the war. Last week, he also shared that he and his wife were traveling to Cyprus for a vacation. This announcement became the basis for pro-Palestinian organizations, including the Belgian group March 30, to seek an arrest warrant. The group tracks Israeli soldiers with the intent to prosecute them in Europe for alleged war crimes.
The group filed an official complaint with Cypriot authorities accusing the soldier, based on the videos he posted, of war crimes and “genocide” in Gaza. "We demand his arrest and investigation," the group said. Other organizations, such as the Hind Rajab Foundation, joined the complaint and provided links to the reservist’s videos as evidence.
Israeli authorities closely monitored the situation. The Foreign Ministry, in coordination with the Justice Ministry and Israel’s embassy in Cyprus, contacted A.L. and advised him to leave the country. Ultimately, it was decided he should return to Israel immediately to avoid potential legal complications.
The urgency may have been heightened by an X post from the Hind Rajab Foundation, which read, "Cyprus has officially opened an investigation into the case and has communicated this to our legal team. This is a step in the right direction. We now hope that Cyprus will stand firm against the inevitable political pressure and hold/interrogate the suspect."
After returning to Israel, A.L. posted on social media: "We’ll share later what we’ve been through and what a miracle it is that we’re back here, two days earlier than originally planned."
Sources familiar with the case criticized A.L. for acting irresponsibly by posting incriminating footage from his reserve service, reportedly in violation of IDF orders. They also faulted the IDF for failing to enforce stricter guidelines to prevent such posts, which they said expose Israel to legal challenges and harm its international standing.
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