Poland: Urgent Demand for Arrest of Jonathan Barkat for War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and Genocide in Gaza

Warsaw, Poland, 26 May 2026 – The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), in partnership with the Polish-Palestinian Justice Initiative KAKTUS, has filed a criminal complaint with Polish judicial authorities demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of Jonathan Barkat, former reservist in the Israeli military's 55th Paratroopers Brigade. Barkat is currently believed to be within the jurisdiction of Poland for the NexTech Conference. The complaint alleges that Barkat bears criminal responsibility for the intentional destruction of the Indonesian Istiqlal Mosque in Khan Younis, acts constituting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Who is Jonathan Barkat?

Jonathan Barkat is a former Israeli reservist and self-described "defense entrepreneur" who served as the driving force behind the drone program of the 55th Paratroopers Brigade during the war in Gaza, and more particularly the ground assault on Khan Younis, in December 2023. Originally a student in Computer Science and Physics at Columbia University, Barkat suspended his studies following 7 October 2023 to join the Israeli military as a reservist. He rapidly ascended to a key role within his brigade and established a drone program, soliciting private donations to acquire and militarize over 135 commercial drones.

However, the very technology Barkat championed—commercial drones repurposed for rapid reconnaissance and targeting—has become a primary mechanism for the commission of war crimes, enabling the identification and elimination of protected persons and objects with unprecedented speed and detachment. Evidence suggests that the specific "kill chain" Barkat engineered, which reduced the time from target identification to neutralization to mere minutes, may have been directly implicated in the unlawful targeting of protected persons.

Proud of his crimes, Barkat shared these pictures on his own Instagram account

A Sacred Site Reduced to Rubble

The complaint centers on a specific, documented incident occurring in December 2023 in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, during which one of the drones supplied by Barkat was used. During the Israeli ground assault on the city, the 66th Paratrooper Battalion—a unit led by Barkat within the 55th Brigade—carried out a controlled demolition of the Indonesian Istiqlal Mosque.

HRF's investigation, supported by video evidence and drone footage, establishes the following factual sequence:

• Targeting of a Protected Site: A drone footage reveals the mosque was completely empty of combatants and military equipment prior to the demolition. Drone surveillance was utilized to verify the absence of persons, confirming the structure's civilian status. Barkat also documented his presence in front of the mosque while operating a drone prior to its destruction.
• Controlled Demolition: The destruction of the mosque was a deliberate, ground-level controlled demolition. Explosive charges were placed internally, and the building was systematically leveled. The video of the destruction was recorded and disseminated by a member of the 66th Paratroopers Battalion and described as being for "entertainment."

This incident is part of a documented pattern of systematic attacks on religious and cultural sites in Gaza. In addition to the destruction of the Indonesian Istiqlal Mosque, the same military campaign resulted in the demolition of the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City—one of the oldest mosques in the region—and the Church of Saint Porphyrius, the third-oldest church in Christianity.

Rome Statute, Geneva Conventions, and the Polish Criminal Code

The complaint asserts that the destruction of the Istiqlal Mosque amounts to several crimes under international and Polish law:

• Intentional attack on a religious building: Violation of Polish Criminal Code, Article 122; Additional Protocol I, Article 85(4)(d); and Rome Statute, Article 8(2)(b)(ix).
• Attacking or bombarding, by whatever means, buildings which are undefended and which are not military objectives: Violation of Polish Criminal Code, Article 122; Additional Protocol I, Article 85(3)(d); and Rome Statute, Article 8(2)(b)(v).
• Extensive destruction of property: Violation of Polish Criminal Code, Article 122; Geneva Convention IV, Article 147; Rome Statute, Articles 8(2)(a)(iv) and 8(2)(b)(xiii).
• Intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental damage to civilian objects which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated: Violation of Polish Criminal Code, Article 122; Additional Protocol I, Article 85(3)(b); and Rome Statute, Article 8(2)(b)(iv)

Building on the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry, the ICC Arrest Warrants and multiple reports by international organizations and experts, the complaint argues that the attack may also amount to crimes against humanity and genocide.

NexTech Conference

Poland is currently hosting the NexTech Conference, a premier defense technology forum scheduled for May 27–28 in Warsaw. The event convenes senior military officials, government representatives, and defense industry executives to discuss emerging technologies in defense, dual-use systems, drones, and cybersecurity. However, beneath its branding as a strategic innovation platform, the conference serves as a commercial nexus for arms manufacturers directly implicated in ongoing conflicts and alleged crimes under international law.

Among the featured participants is Yoav Har-Even, former CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, whose company's precision-guided munitions have been repeatedly linked to Israeli military operations in Gaza. The official conference agenda lists Jonathan Barkat as a speaker, scheduled to present on "Utilizing Drone Power in Warfare" on May 28 from 14:20 to 16:00.

By providing a high-profile networking and commercial platform to defense contractors and military officials associated with genocide, the conference normalizes and expands the commercial ecosystems that sustain unlawful warfare. The event's emphasis on identifying new "security opportunities" and advancing defense partnerships effectively legitimizes, commercializes, and technologically reinforces military violence, turning a forum for innovation into a marketplace for war crimes.

Voices of Justice

Dyab Abou Jahjah, General Director of the Hind Rajab Foundation, stated:

“Hosting a forum where individuals accused of war crimes can network freely is an active endorsement of impunity. By giving Jonathan Barkat a stage to discuss 'drone power' while he faces allegations of deliberately destroying a sacred mosque, the NexTech Conference transforms itself from a technology summit into a platform for sanitizing atrocities. We cannot allow the defense industry to operate in a vacuum where the human cost of their innovations is ignored, and where those responsible for violating international law are treated as respected peers rather than subjects of international justice. ”

Natacha Bracq, Head of Litigation at HRF, emphasized the evidentiary strength of the case:

“Our investigation has secured irrefutable evidence that directly link Jonathan Barkat to the destruction of a protected civilian object. The drone footage documents a calculated, premeditated act of destruction against a protected civilian site, facilitated by the suspect himself. The video evidence showing the controlled demolition of an empty mosque leaves no room for the defense of 'military necessity.' This is a clear, documented violation of the Rome Statute and Polish law, and the Polish judiciary has the obligation to act.”

The Polish-Palestinian Justice Initiative KAKTUS:

“Poland has just imposed an entry ban on Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir for the public abuse of humanitarian activists from the Flotilla. While this is an important gesture, it remains largely symbolic. If our country truly intends to hold accountable those responsible for the gravest international crimes — including crimes committed against Polish citizens — the Polish justice system now has an opportunity to act. The prosecutor’s office should immediately examine the notification submitted yesterday, verify the other conference participants, and detain and question those who have shamelessly boasted of their role in the annihilation of the Gaza Strip.”

The Path Forward

The Hind Rajab Foundation formally demands that Polish judicial authorities:

• Issue an immediate arrest warrant for Jonathan Barkat upon his entry into Polish territory.
• Initiate criminal proceedings under the Polish Criminal Code for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
• Cooperate with international bodies by sharing evidence with the International Criminal Court and the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry.
• Ensure universal jurisdiction application, recognizing that these crimes affect the international community as a whole.

The Hind Rajab Foundation has now filed over 90 complaints in 30 jurisdictions globally, establishing a robust track record of pursuing accountability for violations of international humanitarian law. This latest filing in Poland underscores HRF's unwavering commitment to ending impunity for those who target civilians and destroy the cultural and religious fabric of the Palestinian people.

For further information on the HRF investigative report and legal filings, please contact the Hind Rajab Foundation.