Rights group files criminal complaint in Vietnam against Israeli soldier over war crimes in Gaza, Lebanon

A Brussels-based advocacy group has filed a criminal complaint with Vietnamese authorities against Israeli reservist Matan Jerafi, accusing him of war crimes, genocide and incitement to genocide during Israel’s wars in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon, Anadolu reports.

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) said in a Saturday statement that Jerafi is the CEO of the Israeli organization Im Tirtzu and served with the 920th Infantry Battalion of the 769th Brigade. It said he “documented his deployment to Gaza and to southern Lebanon and his direct involvement in the unlawful destruction of civilian property.”

According to the complaint, evidence shows Jerafi participated in the destruction of civilian infrastructure in the Bureij and Maghazi refugee camps in central Gaza and in the Shujaiya and Rimal neighborhoods of Gaza City between December 2023 and January 2024.

The foundation said he was transferred to southern Lebanon between October and November 2024, “where he continued to destroy civilian infrastructure.”

Israel resumed attacks on Lebanon on March 2 after a war that began in October 2023 ended with a ceasefire agreement in November 2024. The fighting caused thousands of casualties and widespread destruction, while Israel continues to occupy areas of southern Lebanon despite the agreement’s provision for its withdrawal.

HRF said that Jerafi’s acts “constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 85(3)(a) of Additional Protocol I and Articles 8(2)(a)(iv), 8(2)(b)(ii) and 8(2)(b)(v) of the Rome Statute, as well as acts of genocide under Article II(3) of the Genocide Convention and Article 6(c) of the Rome Statute.”

– Incitement to genocide

The foundation also accused Jerafi of direct and public incitement to genocide, citing public statements in which it said he advocated the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, justified attacks on civilians, opposed the entry of humanitarian aid and promoted material advocating for a “new Nakba,” or mass displacement.

“Gaza’s civilians are part of Hamas. We must not have mercy on them,” HRF quoted the Israeli reservist as saying on Feb. 1, 2024.

It also quoted him as saying on July 9, 2025, that “there shouldn’t be an agreement without emigration,” in a call for the displacement of Gaza’s population.

The foundation said the statements “amount to direct and public incitement to genocide under Article III(c) of the Genocide Convention and Article 25(3)(e) of the Rome Statute.”

HRF called on Vietnamese authorities to detain Jerafi and investigate him, arguing that Vietnam, as a signatory to the Geneva Conventions and the Genocide Convention, “has a duty to investigate and prosecute individuals present on its territory who are suspected of committing grave international crimes, regardless of where those crimes occurred or the nationality of the perpetrator.”

“Matan Jerafi’s culpability extends far beyond his direct participation in war crimes and acts of genocide on the ground. He has weaponized his public platform to actively advocate for the continuation and escalation of this genocidal campaign,” HRF Director-General Dyab Abu Jahjah said.

Natacha Bracq, head of Litigation at HRF, said that “it is unacceptable that Matan Jerafi is vacationing among the Vietnamese people after having actively participated in and publicly incited the genocide of Palestinians.”

“Vietnam must uphold its international duties by detaining Mr. Jerafi and initiating a thorough investigation,” she appealed.

HRF is among rights groups seeking to pursue Israeli military personnel and officials through legal proceedings in different countries over war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians.

The foundation is named after Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who was killed along with six relatives when an Israeli attack targeted their vehicle southwest of Gaza City on Jan. 29, 2024.

Israel launched its genocide in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023 that killed over 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 174,000, most of them women and children, while about 90% of the territory’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

​​​​​​​Israel has faced accusations of war crimes and genocide over its deadly military campaign before the International Court of Justice.