Israeli soldier visiting UK faces war crimes complaint

What the report says

The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed a criminal complaint in the United Kingdom against an Israeli reservist, Lidor Dafna, whom it says is visiting the country and should be investigated over alleged war crimes tied to Israel’s war on Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, the complaint centers on Dafna’s alleged role in the May 2025 demolition of a flour-producing facility in southern Gaza, at a time when the Israeli blockade was contributing to severe shortages and hunger. The foundation says social media footage posted by Dafna shows an Israeli bulldozer destroying wheat silos.

The Brussels-based group, which is named after a Palestinian child killed in Gaza in 2024, says it is using publicly available online material as evidence in criminal cases in several countries. Its lawyers say they verify posts by geolocating footage and comparing it with satellite imagery and other sources. Al Jazeera reported that the foundation sees the UK filing as part of a wider effort to push foreign legal systems to act when domestic accountability is seen as limited.

The complaint is part of a broader campaign that has already triggered legal steps in other countries, including Belgium, Brazil and Canada, where Israeli soldiers or former soldiers were reportedly questioned, investigated or delayed during travel. The foundation says these cases show that travel abroad can carry legal risk for suspected perpetrators. Legal experts quoted by Al Jazeera noted that online material can be useful evidence, but that proving a specific person’s responsibility remains difficult and depends on local courts and political will.