Israeli Soldiers on Vacation Are Being Investigated for War Crimes in Gaza
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An Israeli reservist left Brazil in a hurry this week after a Brazilian judge ordered an investigation into whether he committed war crimes in Gaza.
Israeli consular officials helped the soldier, Yuval Vagdani, fly out of the country on Sunday after the order became public. It was prompted by a criminal complaint filed by a Belgium-based non-profit group, the Hind Rajab Foundation, which “focuses on offensive legal action against perpetrators, accomplices, and inciters of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine.”
On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced that it would no longer identify soldiers by name in the media, “fearing the arrest of soldiers abroad.”
Mr. Vagdani was deployed in Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, which triggered Israel’s invasion of the territory in a campaign aimed at defeating and destroying Hamas.
According to the Hind Rajab Foundation complaint, Mr. Vagdani posted videos and photos to social media from Gaza showing that he had destroyed civilian homes and other buildings. The group claims those actions were a systematic attempt to impose unbearable living conditions on the civilian population, in violation of international law. (The Times has not independently verified that evidence.)
A Brazilian judge determined that the allegations should be investigated, and referred the matter to the federal police. Several similar criminal complaints have been filed against vacationing Israeli soldiers in recent months, including in Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Chile.