HRF Files Legal Complaint in the United States Against Israeli Soldier Adi Karni, Already Under Investigation in Peru

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed a legal complaint in the United States against Adi Karni, an Israeli national and former sergeant in the 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion, seeking criminal investigation for war crimes and acts amounting to genocide committed during Israel’s war in Gaza.

This U.S. filing follows earlier complaints filed by HRF in multiple jurisdictions, including Peru, where a formal criminal investigation is already open against Karni for genocide. HRF has also submitted filings concerning Karni in several other countries, as part of its strategy to ensure that jurisdiction is activated wherever he travels.

Karni is currently present in the United States and is scheduled to speak publicly at Boston University this evening, a fact that directly engages U.S. jurisdiction and heightens the urgency of the filing.

Adi Karni planting explosives in a civilian infrastructure in Gaza before detonation

Jurisdiction Triggered by Presence in the United States

HRF’s complaint is grounded in U.S. federal criminal law, notably:

18 U.S.C. §2441 (War Crimes Act), and 18 U.S.C. §1091 (Genocide Statute),

which provide jurisdiction over individuals present on U.S. territory who are credibly suspected of committing international crimes abroad.

Karni’s presence in the United States triggers a clear legal duty to investigate. HRF stresses that jurisdiction is not discretionary: presence activates responsibility.

Conduct Documented in the HRF Investigative Report

The complaint is based on an extensive HRF investigative report, prepared in accordance with international evidentiary standards, which documents Karni’s alleged conduct during his service in Gaza, including:

• direct participation in controlled demolitions of civilian infrastructure;
• destruction of protected religious buildings, including mosques;
• involvement in widespread and systematic destruction carried out by his unit;
• and post-deployment public statements asserting that “there are no civilians in Gaza” and justifying the destruction of civilian objects.

The report concludes that this conduct may constitute war crimes, and, when assessed in its broader context, contribute to the legal elements of crimes against humanity and genocide.

From Soldier to Propagandist

Beyond his actions during military service, HRF notes that Karni has since taken on a public propagandist role, travelling internationally to justify, glorify, and normalise the destruction of Gaza.

During public appearances and speaking engagements, including in the United States, Karni has denied civilian status to Palestinians and continued to defend the destruction of civilian and religious structures. HRF considers this ongoing propaganda activity legally relevant, as it contributes to establishing intent, reinforces patterns of dehumanisation, and perpetuates the very crimes under investigation.

Accountability Is Not Optional

“Adi Karni is not an isolated case, nor is this a single jurisdictional effort,” said Dyab Abou Jahjah, General Director of the Hind Rajab Foundation. “An investigation is already open in Peru, and filings have been made in several other countries. When an individual accused of genocide continues to travel and publicly justify those crimes, every state he enters has a legal obligation to act.”

HRF’s legal team emphasises that the filing rests on documented evidence, not political disagreement.

“The destruction of civilian and religious property without military necessity constitutes a war crime,” said Natacha Bracq, Head of Litigation at HRF. “When such acts are combined with statements denying the existence of civilians, they meet recognised legal thresholds for criminal investigation under U.S. and international law.”

HRF views the U.S. filing as a critical test of whether American authorities will enforce their own statutes when faced with credible allegations of international crimes.

“Karni’s presence in the United States is not accidental, and neither is our filing,” said Jake Romm, HRF’s representative in the United States. “If individuals already under investigation for genocide abroad can enter the U.S., speak publicly, and leave without scrutiny, then the law is rendered meaningless. This complaint simply asks U.S. authorities to uphold their international legal obligations and apply the law as written.”

HRF’s Position

The filing against Adi Karni forms part of HRF’s broader mandate to ensure that international crimes are investigated wherever jurisdiction exists, and that no country—whether in Europe, the Americas, or elsewhere—becomes a safe haven for impunity.

Karni’s case illustrates a growing pattern: individuals implicated in mass atrocities rebrand themselves as civilian speakers and propagandists while continuing to justify the crimes under investigation. HRF will continue to challenge this strategy through coordinated legal action across jurisdictions.