Brussels, Belgium/New Delhi, India – 30 May 2026 – The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) filed an urgent complaint with the Indian Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration of India, demanding the immediate arrest of Eitan Gilboa, an Israeli national currently vacationing in Himachal Pradesh.
HRF has submitted a detailed investigative report proving that Gilboa, a reservist in the Israeli army, personally carried out and celebrated the systematic demolition of entire residential blocks in Gaza as acts of revenge, constituting war crimes under the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960.
Gilboa, identified as a reservist in the 271st Combat Engineering Battalion, is currently located in Old Manali and Gondla Village, Himachal Pradesh.
Allegations against Eitan Gilboa
Born in Gaza during the Israeli occupation, Gilboa and his family left the territory with his family after Israel's withdrawal. After October 2023, Gilboa and several of his siblings returned to Gaza with the Israeli army. Upon returning, Gilboa staged photographs recreating scenes of his youth, juxtaposing himself against the ruins of Palestinian playgrounds and children's toys amidst the rubble.
Eitan Gilboa recreated images from his youth, using the ruins of Palestinian playgrounds as a backdrop.
While in Gaza, Gilboa documented the destruction of civilian buildings that he carried out, filming himself ordering, executing, and celebrating the demolition of civilian homes in Khan Younis and Rafah. These videos were later published by his mother on Instagram and Facebook. The accompanying posts suggest that these demolitions were carried out as acts of retribution and dedicated to fallen IDF soldiers.
The complaint cites several specific incidents where Gilboa participated in the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including:
- Khan Younis (January 2024): Gilboa and his unit detonated a residential area, cheering as the buildings collapsed. The destruction was explicitly dedicated to the families of the battalion and the brigade. In a video published on 21 January 2024, by his brigade, the commander of the 271st Battalion, Lt. Col. Yossi Edri, is seen giving a speech and counting down prior to the demolition, with Eitan Gilboa standing beside him. Edri states: "We convey a clear message from here to Hamas, to the Strip, and to anyone who has risen or will rise against us: We will find you, we will reach you, and we will leave behind only ash and dust. The next detonation—is for the families of the battalion and the brigade... All stations, this is Commander Akrai. Our statue [blast] in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."
- Rafah (June 2024): Gilboa ordered the demolition of multiple buildings, dedicating the act to Colonel Assaf Hamami, commander of the Southern Brigade of the Gaza Division, who was killed in Kibbutz Nirim on October 7, 2023.
- Gaza (July 2024): Gilboa was seen actively triggering an explosion on a residential block, once again dedicating the act to Colonel Assaf Hamami.
These acts violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, ratified by India. As a signatory to the convention, India is legally obligated under Article 146 of the Geneva Conventions to search for and prosecute individuals alleged to have committed grave breaches, regardless of nationality. Furthermore, the presence of Gilboa in India contradicts Article 51(c) of the Indian Constitution, which directs the State to foster respect for international law.
HRF has submitted a comprehensive investigative dossier, including geolocated videos, social media posts, and chain-of-command documentation, with the complaint.
Eitan Gilboa filmed himself ordering, carrying out, and celebrating the demolition of civilian homes in Gaza.
Relief sought
HRF urges the Police to:
- Immediately arrest Eitan Gilboa upon verification of the information provided by HRF, in exercise of powers under Section 35(1)(c) of the BNSS read with Section 3 and Section 4 of the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960;
- Register a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 3 of the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960 for grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and forward this complaint and all annexed material to the competent authorities for investigation and trial;
- In the event that arrest is not immediately effected, immediately alert the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration of the presence of Eitan Gilboa in Himachal Pradesh to facilitate his removal from Indian territory pending further proceedings;
- Ensure universal jurisdiction application, recognizing that these crimes affect the international community as a whole.
Statements from HRF
Dyab Abou Jahjah, General Director of the Hind Rajab Foundation:
“Eitan Gilboa is not a tourist. He is a war criminal currently enjoying the hospitality of India while fleeing the consequences of his crimes. He has publicly documented himself turning entire neighborhoods in Gaza into ash and dust, dedicating these massacres to fallen soldiers as acts of revenge. The videos show him triggering explosives that wiped out entire residential buildings in Gaza. India must act immediately to arrest him. It must not allow Indian soil to become a safe haven for those who celebrate the destruction of civilian lives.”
Natacha Bracq, Head of Litigation at the Hind Rajab Foundation
“Eitan Gilboa's actions, systematically destroying civilian homes for revenge, meet the legal definition of war crimes under Indian law. Under the Geneva Conventions Act, India has the power and the duty to arrest and prosecute Eitan Gilboa. The 'Hummus Trail' – or these extended trips that IDF soldiers take to decompress after military duties – cannot become a route for impunity. If India fails to act, it becomes complicit in the cycle of atrocities and impunity.”
This filing is the latest in HRF's expanding global litigation strategy, which has produced over 90 criminal complaints across 30 jurisdictions, including successful procedural outcomes in Brazil, Romania, Peru, Belgium, and Canada.
HRF will not relent in its pursuit of accountability. The evidence in this case was recorded by the suspect and shared by his family on social media.
India now holds both the suspect and the obligation to act.