HRF Files Urgent Request for Prosecution in Greece Against Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed a report with the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Greece concerning the visit of Israel Katz to Greece for official meetings with Greek political and defense authorities.

The report was filed today jointly with Greek lawyers, members of Athens Lawyers’ Alternative Intervention and members of the Board of Directors of the Athens Bar Association: Athanasios Kampagiannis, Konstantinos Papadakis, and Dimitrios Sarafianos.

Presence in Greece and Urgency of the Filing

The report informs Greek authorities that Israel Katz is present in Greece until 22 January 2026 for official meetings related to regional security coordination and military relations between Greece and Israel.

Given the limited duration of the visit, the report explicitly requests urgent examination and immediate legal action, stressing that Greece’s jurisdiction and legal obligations are directly triggered by Katz’s physical presence on Greek territory.

Israel Katz with his predecessor, indicted war criminal Yoav Gallant. After taking office, Katz continued—and escalated—the same genocidal policies.

Information on the Suspect

According to the report, Israel Katz is a senior member of the Likud Party and has held multiple senior executive positions within the Israeli government.

Since October 2023, Katz has exercised authority across several key portfolios during the Gaza war:

Minister of Energy and Infrastructure (October 2023- January 2024)

Minister of Foreign Affairs (January 2024-November 2024)

Minister of Defence (November 2024-present), following the removal of Yoav Gallant

As Minister of Defence, Katz exercises civilian authority over the Israeli armed forces, including approval, direction, and oversight of military operations.

Background and Factual Allegations

The report outlines Katz’s role in shaping and implementing Israeli policy during the 2023–2026 Gaza war, a period marked by:

• widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure,
• severe humanitarian deprivation,
• mass displacement,

and repeated findings by United Nations bodies documenting serious violations of international humanitarian law.

The report links Katz’s public statements, policy decisions, and executive authority to the following categories of conduct that may amount to acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity:

• Starvation and Deprivation of Essential Needs: Katz publicly endorsed and enforced policies restricting electricity, water, fuel, food, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s civilian population, including statements confirming that humanitarian aid would not be permitted to enter. Particular emphasis is placed on Katz’s responsibility for the interception of humanitarian aid, including the Global Sumud Flotilla, which involved vessels carrying Greek citizens. The report details allegations of seizure, unlawful arrest, violence, and inhuman or degrading treatment, linking these acts directly to Katz’s authority as Minister of Defense.
• Forcible Transfer of Civilians: The report references Katz’s public calls for the mass evacuation of Gaza’s civilian population and warnings of “complete destruction and devastation,” in the context of large-scale displacement documented by international organizations.
• Attacks Affecting Civilian Objects and Protected Sites: The report documents the extensive destruction of civilian objects, including homes, schools, hospitals, roads, and other infrastructure, and Katz’s role in authorizing, endorsing, or overseeing military operations affecting such objects.

The report concludes that, taken together, Katz’s statements, policies, and conduct demonstrate genocidal intent under Article II of the Genocide Convention and Article 6 of the Rome Statute.

Jurisdiction Under Greek and International Law

The report sets out Greece’s jurisdiction according to:

Article 28 of the Greek Constitution, which incorporates ratified international treaties and customary international law into Greek domestic law with primacy over conflicting legislation;

Article 8 of the Greek Penal Code, which allows for the prosecution of crimes committed abroad where international conventions ratified by Greece so require;

Law 3481/1955, ratifying the Geneva Conventions, including the obligation under Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention to “search for and prosecute” persons suspected of grave breaches who enter Greek territory;

Law 3948/2011, incorporating the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court into Greek law, providing jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed abroad when the suspect is present in Greece.

The report emphasizes that these obligations are mandatory, not discretionary, and arise immediately upon the suspect’s presence in Greece.

Requests to the Greek Authorities

The report formally requests that Greek authorities:

• open a criminal investigation into Israel Katz’s conduct;
• take all necessary legal steps under Greek law to ensure accountability;

and fulfil Greece’s international obligation to prevent impunity for grave breaches of international humanitarian law.

HRF’s Position

This filing forms part of HRF’s broader mandate to ensure that international crimes are investigated wherever jurisdiction exists, and that no European state becomes a safe haven for impunity.

“Greek authorities must ensure that suspected war criminals are investigated and prosecuted the moment they set foot on the territory of a country where the rule of law is respected. This principle applies everywhere—and it applies in Greece as well,”

said Dyab Abou Jahjah, General Director of the Hind Rajab Foundation.

The report concludes by stressing that Greece’s obligations arise not from political discretion, but from binding domestic and international law triggered by presence.

International law requires action. Presence activates responsibility.