HRF Files Criminal Complaint in Italy Against Israeli Soldier Arik Ben Asulin for War Crimes and Genocide in Gaza

2 July 2026, Brussels, Belgium/Naples, Italy – The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) filed a criminal complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome against Israeli soldier Arik Ben Asulin serving in the 749th Combat Engineering Battalion. The complaint alleges that Ben Asulin has participated in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide during Israel’s ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

This filing arrives as Israel continues its atrocities in Gaza and as the death toll officially surpasses 73,000 Palestinians—including over 22,000 children—and as UN data confirms that 92% of Gaza’s housing units have been destroyed. Amid this landscape of total devastation, HRF’s investigative report details Ben Asulin’s direct role in erasing civilian infrastructure, including the demolition of Al-Azhar University, and residential neighborhoods in Shuja’iya and the Netzarim Corridor.

Evidence collected by HRF includes social media posts published by Ben Asulin himself, featuring videos of demolitions and photographs of him handling detonation cables. These materials demonstrate not only his direct involvement in the demolition operations but also his public endorsement of them.

Evidence collected by HRF includes social media posts published by Ben Asulin himself, featuring videos of demolitions and photographs of him handling detonation cables.

Ben Asulin was deployed in Gaza from at least November 2023, serving in the 749th Combat Engineering Battalion—a unit documented by Drop Site News and the UN for its systematic campaign of destruction in Gaza, particularly in the Netzarim corridor. The battalion’s involvement in the devastation became so prominent that the main road in the corridor dividing North and South Gaza was named "Road 749" in reference to the unit. As far back as October 2023, the battalion’s deputy commander, Lieutenant Colonel Adi Bekore, publicly boasted on Facebook about the unit’s mission to “flatten Gaza,” framing the destruction of civilian life as a strategic objective.

The complaint invokes Italy’s universal jurisdiction over international crimes, citing the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It calls on Italian prosecutors to open a formal investigation into Ben Asulin, who is currently believed to be present in Italy.

Allegations in the report include:

• War Crimes, including intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects and buildings dedicated to education and extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity
• Crimes Against Humanity: Extermination as part of a widespread attack against a civilian population
• Genocide: Deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinian group in whole or in part

Dyab Abou Jahjah, General Director at HRF

“It is unacceptable that individuals accused of participating in genocide are allowed to travel freely and vacation among Italian citizens while Gaza lies in ruins. Justice requires holding perpetrators accountable wherever they may be. By filing this complaint in Italy, we demand an end to the culture of impunity.”

Natacha Bracq, Head of Litigation at HRF:

“The evidence shows that Ben Asulin did not merely witness the destruction—he participated in it and broadcast it with pride. His actions formed part of a broader policy carried out by the 749th Battalion to erase entire communities and render Gaza uninhabitable. Italian authorities must uphold their obligations under international law.”

The Hind Rajab Foundation continues to pursue legal avenues across the world to hold those responsible for the atrocities in Gaza accountable. This case represents a critical test of whether Italy will fulfill its international legal obligations or protect alleged war criminals.