Legal Complaint Filed in the Netherlands Against Israeli Soldier Adir Yiftach for War Crimes and Genocide

Amsterdam, 16 September 2025 – The Hind Rajab Foundation has submitted a formal criminal complaint to the Dutch National Prosecutor for International Crimes against Adir Yiftach, a former member of the Israel army, currently present in the Netherlands. The complaint, filed by Mr. Haroon Raza, legal counsel for the HRF, is accompanied by a comprehensive investigative report and an urgent request for immediate arrest and prosecution.

The complaint establishes that Adir Yiftach served as a combat medic (medics who also take part in the fighting) in the 424th Infantry Battalion (“Shaked"), a unit within the Givati Brigade, which operated under the command of the 401st Armored Brigade during the Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. These units have been directly implicated in extensive and systematic violations of international humanitarian law, including the destruction of Gaza City and Rafah, the siege of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, and the killing of Hind Rajab, the six-year-old child after whom the Foundation is named.

Presence in Dutch Territory

The subject’s physical presence in the Netherlands is not in dispute. On 14 September 2025, Adir Yiftach published geo-tagged Instagram stories from Amsterdam, which were archived and included as exhibits in the complaint. His presence on Dutch soil triggers the jurisdictional obligations of the Netherlands under both domestic law and international law, including the Dutch International Crimes Act (Wet Internationale Misdrijven) and the Geneva Conventions.

Basis of the Complaint

The legal complaint is grounded in archival social media posts published by Yiftach himself during his deployment. The complaint highlights the following:

• Yiftach’s direct and documented presence at multiple sites of unlawful destruction, including the Rafah Crossing, residential neighborhoods, and other civilian areas during and after their destruction by Israeli forces;
• His visual documentation and public dissemination of scenes of devastation, including imagery of burning buildings in Gaza City and mass destruction in Rafah;
• His active participation in a battalion under a command structure already identified by international institutions as responsible for war crimes and potentially genocidal acts.

These findings form the basis for suspected violations of the following international crimes:

War Crimes, including:

• Deliberate targeting of civilian objects;
• Wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure not justified by military necessity;
• Bombardment of undefended towns and villages.

Genocide, through:

• The imposition of conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of the Palestinian population, in whole or in part;
• Participation in a military campaign that systematically deprived civilians of access to shelter, water, medical care, and humanitarian corridors.

Statements by the Hind Rajab Foundation

"This legal action reflects the Hind Rajab Foundation's continued commitment to the enforcement of international law and the pursuit of accountability for the atrocities committed in Gaza," stated Dyab Abou Jahjah, Chairman of the Hind Rajab Foundation. "The presence of Adir Yiftach in the Netherlands places a legal and moral obligation on the Dutch authorities" he concluded.

Natacha Bracq Head of Litigation at the Hind Rajab Foundation said: "The documentation submitted with this complaint establishes not only his involvement in the commission of serious international crimes but also his personal glorification of these acts through social media. We call on the Dutch prosecution to act decisively and ensure that the Netherlands does not become a safe haven for those implicated in war crimes and genocide."

Legal Framework and Obligations

Under Articles 49, 50, 129, and 146 of the Geneva Conventions, and in line with Article 90 of the Dutch Constitution, the Netherlands is under a binding obligation to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of committing grave breaches of international humanitarian law when present on its territory.

In light of the serious nature of the crimes and the immediacy of the suspect’s presence within Dutch jurisdiction, the Foundation has requested that the Dutch National Prosecutor's Office initiate an immediate investigation and issue an arrest warrant pursuant to its obligations under the International Crimes Act.