HRF Files Criminal Complaint in Italy Against IDF Soldier Israel Yitzhki for War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and Genocide

15 December 2025 – Brussels / Rome

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed a criminal complaint before the Italian judicial authorities against Israeli soldier Israel Yitzhki, a member of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), for his alleged involvement in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide committed during Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The complaint was submitted to the Procura della Repubblica on the basis of universal jurisdiction, following confirmation that Yitzhki is currently present on Italian territory. Under international and Italian law, Italy is legally obliged to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of grave international crimes when they are found on its soil.

Israel Yitzhki (far left) posing with fellow soldiers amid the rubble of Gaza

Why Italy Has a Duty to Act

Italy is a State Party to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and the UN Convention Against Torture. These instruments impose a clear obligation on States to search for, investigate, and prosecute individuals suspected of grave breaches of international humanitarian law, regardless of nationality or where the crimes were committed.

The complaint explicitly invokes:

• Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which establishes mandatory universal jurisdiction over grave breaches;
• Article 5(2) of the Convention Against Torture, requiring prosecution when a suspect is present and not extradited;
• The principle of aut dedere aut judicare — extradite or prosecute.

As the filing makes clear, States cannot lawfully become safe havens for suspected perpetrators of international crimes.

The Context: Gaza as a Crime Scene

The complaint situates Yitzhki’s actions within the broader context of Israel’s campaign in Gaza, which UN bodies have repeatedly characterized as involving systematic violations of international law.

As of December 2025:

• Over 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 20,000 children;
• More than 170,000 people have been injured;
• 92% of homes, 88% of schools, 81% of roads, and 80% of commercial infrastructure have been destroyed or damaged;
• Hundreds of civilians have died from starvation and malnutrition, caused by the deliberate obstruction of food and humanitarian aid.

UN agencies, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court have all confirmed the seriousness of these crimes. Arrest warrants have already been issued by the ICC against Israeli leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity.

Alleged Crimes by Israel Yitzhki

According to HRF’s investigative findings, Israel Yitzhki served in the 432nd Battalion of the Givati Brigade and participated in operations involving:

• Extensive destruction of civilian property without military necessity;
• Attacks on undefended towns, residential buildings, and civilian objects;
• Arson and controlled demolitions of homes and shelters;
• Occupation and destruction of schools used as civilian refuges;
• Unlawful detention and humiliating treatment of Palestinian civilians, including the publication of images showing detainees blindfolded, handcuffed, and kneeling.

The complaint argues that these acts constitute war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute, including:

• destruction of property not justified by military necessity;
• attacks against civilian objects;
• illegal detention of protected persons;
• outrages upon personal dignity and degrading treatment;
• and, potentially, torture and inhuman treatment.

Israel Yitzhki abducting and humiliating Palestinian civilians in Gaza

Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide

Beyond individual war crimes, the filing asserts that Yitzhki’s actions may also qualify as crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, including extermination, unlawful imprisonment, torture, and other inhumane acts committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population.

Crucially, the complaint also addresses genocide. It argues that the systematic destruction of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure — homes, schools, water systems, healthcare facilities — amounts to:

• causing serious bodily and mental harm; and
• deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinian population, in whole or in part.

These conclusions align with findings issued in September 2025 by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which determined that Israeli authorities are committing genocide in Gaza.

Request for Urgent Precautionary Measures

Given the gravity of the allegations and the risk that Yitzhki may leave Italy, HRF has requested that the Italian authorities consider urgent precautionary measures, including:

• pre-trial detention;
• seizure of passports and travel documents;
• preservation of digital evidence.

The filing also formally requests notification of any prosecutorial decisions, including extensions of investigations or potential dismissal, in accordance with Italian criminal procedure.

Abou Jahjah: No Safe Haven in Europe

This filing is part of HRF’s broader strategy to ensure that no European country becomes a refuge for perpetrators of atrocities committed in Gaza.

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International law is meaningless if it stops at borders, HRF General Director Dyab Abou Jahjah stated.
When those suspected of war crimes and genocide enter Europe, States must choose between impunity and justice. There is no third option. He added.

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The Hind Rajab Foundation will continue to pursue accountability across jurisdictions until those responsible for crimes in Gaza — perpetrators, accomplices, and inciters alike — are brought before competent courts.