HRF sues Israeli officer in the Netherlands over Gaza war crimes
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The complaint mentions that Lavi Lazarovitz is an active-duty officer in the IAF, a military force involved in the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
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A Palestinian man mourns over the body of his son who was killed while heading to an aid distribution hub, during his funeral in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on June 11, 2025 (AP)
The Hind Rajab Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has lodged a formal complaint with the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office against Lavi Lazarovitz, a current Major in the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
Lazarovitz is presently in the Netherlands participating in the “CyberArk World Tour,” an event organized by Israeli cybersecurity company CyberArk.
According to a statement released by HRF on Tuesday, Lazarovitz is publicly presented as a tech executive during the tour. However, the Foundation highlights that he is simultaneously an active-duty officer in the IAF, a military force involved in the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
HRF further emphasized that Lazarovitz appeared in uniform in a CyberArk promotional video filmed during the height of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, underscoring his dual role in both military and civilian spheres.
The complaint mentioned reports from international organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the United Nations that disclosed Israeli air forces targeting residential areas and civilian facilities, such as hospitals, schools, and refugee camps, resulting in a large number of civilian casualties.
The Foundation referred to the attacks as probable war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It emphasized the importance of detaining Lazarovitz and conducting a preliminary investigation into his possible role in these operations, noting that his military rank, the timing of his public appearance, and his location during the bombing provide "reasonable grounds to believe he was involved in or directly or indirectly supported military operations."
The Foundation expressed concern that enabling persons suspected of involvement in international crimes to move freely and speak at public events may convert the Netherlands into a "safe haven" for evading international accountability.
It emphasized that this action is part of a larger legal strategy aimed at bringing war criminals accountable, working with international legal teams and based on the concept of universal jurisdiction provided by Dutch and international law.
HRF files complaint against Israeli unit Shayetet 13 over Madleen raid
Most recently, The Hind Rajab Foundation has formally filed a war crimes complaint with the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit (Counter Terrorism Command, SO15) against the Israeli occupation over its raid on the Madleen, a British-flagged ship carrying aid as part of the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza.
The group submitted the case under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957, which permits UK courts to prosecute war crimes regardless of where they occurred or the nationality of the perpetrators.
The complaint specifically targets "Israel's" notorious naval commando unit, Shayetet 13, accusing it of breaching international humanitarian law during its seizure of the vessel in international waters.
According to the foundation, the commandos used excessive force and endangered civilian lives aboard the Madleen, which was transporting medical and food supplies to Gaza.
The raid led to the detention of several international volunteers and the seizure of the vessel, despite its clearly marked humanitarian mission. The Hind Rajab Foundation asserts that no justification under international law permits such an Israeli assault on a civilian aid convoy operating under peaceful, non-military conditions.
According to the complaint, Shayetet 13's actions may constitute grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention by "Israel", including the unlawful targeting of humanitarian infrastructure and personnel. The foundation argues that the raid represents part of a broader pattern of attacks on non-military vessels attempting to break the blockade on Gaza.
Legal experts cited in the foundation’s complaint stress that the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 places a duty on UK courts to investigate credible allegations of war crimes, even when committed by foreign nationals outside the UK. The foundation is calling on British prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into the conduct of Israeli forces involved in the military operation against the flotilla.
The Madleen was one of several vessels intercepted or turned back by Israeli naval forces in recent months.
