Legal noose tightens: Israeli commanders, politicians, 1,000 soldiers could face ICC action

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) – As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant face war crimes charges from the International Criminal Court (ICC), rights organizations are intensifying efforts to hold additional Israeli officials accountable for their atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza.

With dozens of cases filed against Israeli leaders and military personnel, legal experts and activists are watching closely to see if the court, often referred to as the “court of last resort,” will issue more arrest warrants in the coming days.

Among the leading organizations pursuing justice is the Hind Rajab Foundation, which has filed several cases, including a landmark challenge targeting 1,000 Israeli soldiers.

The organization is a branch of the March 30 Movement, another rights group formed shortly after Israel launched its deadly war on Gaza in October 2023. The group is named after Palestinian girl Hind Rajab who, along with her family, was brutally shot dead by Israeli soldiers in January this year.

The soldiers named in the foundation’s case range from high-ranking officials, such as generals and air marshals, to lower-ranking personnel.

“This case includes all types of charges of war crimes specified in the Rome Statute,” Haroon Raza, the foundation's lawyer, told Anadolu.

“It’s a list of the crime of starvation, the crime of attacking civilians, crime of attacking civilian objects, et cetera.”

The evidence presented spans incidents from October 8, 2023, through June, meticulously documented with dates and descriptions of the crimes. These include attacks on hospitals, civilians, aid workers, and critical infrastructure, as well as systematic starvation and water deprivation.

A statement on the foundation’s website highlights the gravity of the case, noting that the soldiers named in the complaint are accused of participating in systematic attacks against civilians during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

“This complaint, supported by over 8,000 pieces of verifiable evidence – including videos, audio recordings, forensic reports, and social media documentation – demonstrates the soldiers’ direct involvement in these atrocities,” the statement reads.

“All of the named soldiers were located in Gaza during the genocidal assault, and the evidence reveals their participation in violations of international law.”

Raza emphasized that some soldiers had openly shared evidence of their actions on social media.

“We have got individuals for whom we have proof ... videos and the photos which they shared themselves … in which you can see when and where they were in Gaza,” he said.

The posts have locations and show everyone what they were doing there, he explained.

Approximately 10% of the soldiers named in the case are dual nationals from countries such as Germany, Canada, US, UK, France, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Ecuador, and India.

At least 12 are from France, 12 from the US, four from Canada, three from the UK, and two from the Netherlands, according to information on the website.

The foundation’s investigation unit, mostly made up of volunteers, worked seven days a week for over six months to compile the evidence, said Raza.

- Expanding legal efforts

In addition to the case against IDF soldiers, the Hind Rajab Foundation has filed multiple complaints targeting senior Israeli officials for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

One complaint at focuses on Col. Moshe Tetro, the Israeli military attache in Belgium, accusing him of enforcing policies that systematically starved Gaza’s population.

This was done under Tetro’s leadership as head of the Coordination and Liaison Administration for the Gaza Strip, which controls the crossings between the Palestinian enclave and Israel.

Evidence submitted includes records of Tetro’s direct communication with hospital directors before attacks that led to mass casualties.

The foundation has called on Belgium to reject Tetro’s diplomatic accreditation, urging authorities to arrest or deport him, along with a detailed complaint at the ICC demanding immediate action against him.

Other cases name high-profile government figures such as Netanyahu, Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and Social Equality Minister May Golan.

Israeli military officials named in the cases include army chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, air force head Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, army spokesperson Daniel Hagari, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and Gaza division commanders Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman and Brig. Gen. Avi Rosenfeld.

Apart from the ICC, Raza explained that the foundation is also pursuing cases at local courts in several countries. These include a case in France against a dual national solider who was filmed torturing a Palestinian detainee, and one in Belgium against a man who is a sniper in the Israeli military.

- Justice for individual victims

The Hind Rajab Foundation also represents individuals impacted by Israel’s catastrophic violence in Gaza.

One such case involves Huda, a Palestinian woman repeatedly displaced with her family during the conflict. Complaints on her behalf have been filed at the ICC and against Dutch government officials for alleged complicity.

“Huda has been fleeing throughout Gaza, going from the north to the south and back again with her children, her injured husband, and her uncle and friend have been martyred,” said Raza.

“For her, we’ve lodged two complaints, one at the ICC level against Netanyahu, but also against Dutch government officials.”

As his organization and others make efforts to secure justice for Palestinians, Raza called out the ICC for the slow pace of its proceedings.

“It took them more than 400 days to issue something … So I expect them to do much more than they’ve been doing right now … We have to bring them to justice,” he said.​​​​​​​