Lima – Saba:
Peru has officially referred the case of genocide filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation for Human Rights against an Israeli soldier who participated in the destruction of civilian neighborhoods and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip to the Prosecutor General for Human Rights on Thursday.
Peru thus became the first country to recognize the nature of the crimes committed and hold those involved accountable, according to Al Jazeera Net.
The Peruvian Public Prosecution is currently examining the evidence presented, rather than assessing whether it has the authority to proceed, after the case entered the early stages of a criminal investigation, in line with Peru's obligations under the Rome Statute and international humanitarian law.
According to the foundation, this is not a formality, but rather means that the crimes are under investigation, and "justice is now on its way to being served."
The complaint, filed by prominent Peruvian lawyer Julio César Arbizu González, who represents the foundation, includes documentary evidence, video evidence, and intelligence sources accusing the soldier, who served in the Israeli Defense Forces' Combat Engineers Corps, of "direct participation in the destruction of civilian neighborhoods in Gaza during the military aggression between 2023 and 2024."
This step represents an important development in the context of the principle of universal jurisdiction. The investigation confirms Peru's commitment to international humanitarian law and sends a clear message that perpetrators of international crimes will not enjoy protection simply because they are outside conflict zones.
Last month, when Peruvian judicial authorities announced the opening of a formal criminal investigation against the Israeli soldier, the foundation confirmed that the Israeli Defense Forces' Combat Engineers Corps was one of the main arms in "destroying the civilian infrastructure in Gaza and turning it into 'uninhabitable' areas."
It also noted that this military unit played a pivotal role in "implementing the scorched earth policy and wiping out entire neighborhoods."
The foundation's president, Diab Abu Jahjah, emphasized that this step "is not symbolic, but rather the beginning of real legal accountability," adding that "justice is not an option, but a duty. The investigation opened in Peru represents a pivotal step in dismantling the Israeli system of impunity."
The foundation has previously called on all states, particularly signatories to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to take similar measures against those suspected of involvement in crimes committed in the Gaza Strip if they enter their territories.
It is worth noting that the Hind Rajab Foundation was established in 2024 and bears the name of Hind, a girl who was detained in a vehicle in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City while the Israeli army targeted the vehicle she was in.
Hind was only six years old at the time. She pleaded for help for hours, but Israeli forces prevented anyone from reaching her. She was martyred on January 29, 2024.
According to press reports, the Hind Rajab Foundation says it has filed arrest warrants for 1,000 Israeli soldiers with dual citizenship in eight countries, without disclosing their names to avoid arrest.
It is worth noting that the Israeli army decided on January 9 to conceal the identities of its soldiers for fear of prosecution abroad for their participation in the ongoing genocide against civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The decision came after the revelation of a series of attempts by pro-Palestinian organizations in several countries to obtain orders from local courts to arrest Israeli soldiers.
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