In a landmark move for international accountability, Peruvian authorities have launched a formal criminal investigation into an Israeli soldier accused of committing war crimes and genocide in the Gaza Strip during Israel’s 2023–2024 military campaign.
The investigation was triggered by a legal complaint filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a human rights organization based in Europe, and submitted by Julio César Arbizu González, a prominent Peruvian human rights lawyer and former anti-corruption prosecutor. The accused individual, who reportedly served in the Combat Engineering Corps of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), is alleged to have directly participated in the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
According to the complaint, which is backed by audiovisual evidence and open-source intelligence, the soldier’s actions constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide under international law.
“This case represents a critical affirmation that universal jurisdiction is not just a legal principle, but a tool that must be actively applied,” Arbizu said in a statement. “States have a duty to prosecute international crimes when the perpetrators are found within their borders.”
The Combat Engineering Corps, typically viewed as a support unit, played a central role in Israel’s ground operations in Gaza, according to the HRF. The Foundation argues that the unit functioned as a key instrument in what it describes as a “systematic campaign to render Gaza uninhabitable,” involving the leveling of entire residential areas and the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
The Hind Rajab Foundation has compiled hundreds of case files on members of the IDF’s engineering units and is pursuing legal action in multiple countries. The group says it will continue to file complaints wherever jurisdiction allows, targeting soldiers who travel abroad and may be subject to arrest and prosecution.
“This investigation is not a symbolic act—it is a concrete legal step with real consequences,” said Dyab Abou Jahjah, chairman of the Hind Rajab Foundation. “Justice is not optional. Justice is imperative. This marks a decisive step in the dismantling of Israeli impunity.”
The HRF is calling on other signatories to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to follow Peru’s example by initiating legal proceedings against individuals implicated in alleged atrocity crimes committed in Gaza.
The opening of the case in Peru marks the first known instance of a Latin American country taking legal action against an Israeli military figure for alleged crimes committed during the Gaza offensive. It signals a growing willingness among national jurisdictions to hold foreign nationals accountable under universal jurisdiction principles, even in politically sensitive cases involving powerful allies.
The Peruvian prosecutor’s office has yet to release the name of the individual under investigation. Legal observers expect further developments in the coming weeks, as authorities evaluate whether to pursue charges or issue an arrest warrant.
The Hind Rajab Foundation, named after a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed during the war in Gaza, has vowed to continue its legal campaign until those responsible for crimes against civilians are brought to justice.