Hind Rajab Foundation Files War Crimes Complaint in Cyprus Against IDF Paratrooper

Tameer Mulla boasting in Arabic about the destruction in Gaza

NICOSIA – The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed a formal criminal complaint with the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus demanding the immediate arrest of Tameer Mulla, an Arab Druze Israeli soldier currently on Cypriot soil, for his direct involvement in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts potentially amounting to genocide during Israel’s onslaught in the Gaza Strip between 2023 and 2025.

Tameer Mulla served in the 101st Paratroopers Battalion of the 35th Paratroopers Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a frontline unit that played a central role in the destruction of Palestinian cities, hospitals, and refugee camps. Mulla entered Cyprus on 18 July 2025 and is believed to still be in the country. The complaint includes overwhelming documentation of Mulla’s personal participation in grave violations of international law. These include:

1. Deliberate Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure

Mulla filmed and publicly posted his involvement in:

• The targeted destruction of civilian homes in Khan Younis, Jabalia, and Deir al-Balah using bulldozers, explosive devices, and direct fire.
• Shooting rockets and live rounds into abandoned Palestinian homes, with no evidence of military presence or threat.
• Burning residential buildings, both before and after searches, as a standard practice of destruction.

These acts fulfill the legal definition of intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects, as defined under Article 8(2)(b)(ii) of the Rome Statute.

2. Systematic Forced Evacuation of Protected Persons

On 26 February 2024, Mulla personally oversaw and documented the forced evacuation of civilians from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. The hospital, besieged for weeks, housed over 10,000 displaced persons, 450 patients, and 300 medical staff.

Under threat of snipers, shelling, and a complete communications blackout, civilians—including children, the elderly, and wounded patients—were removed in a coercive and humiliating operation. This constitutes the war crime of unlawful transfer of protected persons under Article 8(2)(a)(vii) of the Rome Statute.

3. Attacks on Educational Institutions

Mulla was present at and documented the destruction of the Jabalia Elementary Boys School in May 2024. Footage shows the school facility in ruins, likely destroyed during or immediately after an IDF operation in the area. His presence at the scene and glorification of the attack raises strong grounds to prosecute for attacks on buildings dedicated to education, in violation of Article 8(2)(b)(ix) of the Rome Statute.

4. Glorification and Incitement

Mulla posted numerous videos, stories, and reels mocking the destruction of Palestinian civilian infrastructure. These include:

• Sarcastic videos inside looted or destroyed homes, barbershops, and electronics stores;
• A montage likening his role in Gaza to a video game, including footage of live fire and explosives;
• A Netflix-style graphic listing the Palestinian cities he helped destroy: Al-Zeitoun, Gaza City, Rimal, Shuja’iyya, Khan Yunis, Deir al-Balah, Jabalia.
  

This public glorification of war crimes and devastation reflects clear intent, ideological motivation, and a lack of remorse, strengthening the case for prosecution under both Cypriot and international law.

Cyprus is bound under universal jurisdiction, its own Penal Code, and international treaties to prosecute individuals on its territory accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes—even when committed abroad.
The Hind Rajab Foundation demands that the Republic of Cyprus act immediately to:

• Arrest Tameer Mulla without delay;
• Prevent his departure from the country;
• Initiate a full criminal investigation and prosecution;
• Cooperate with international bodies to ensure justice is served.
  

The people of Gaza are not invisible. Those who destroy hospitals, homes, and lives with impunity must be held to account.