Hemaya: Israeli Occupation Soldiers’ Testimonies Stand as Evidence of International Crimes Committed in the Gaza Strip
Hemaya Center for Human Rights has sent an urgent letter to foreign ministers worldwide, as well as to United Nations and international bodies, warning of grave and unprecedented legal implications arising from the ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip. The Center affirmed that available evidence demonstrates that Israeli occupying forces have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. The letter draws in part on a report published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which includes firsthand testimonies from Israeli soldiers who participated in military operations in Gaza, underscoring the commission of serious violations rising to the level of international crimes.
Hemaya Center stressed that these testimonies are not isolated or anecdotal, but rather reveal a recurring pattern of conduct within a broader, systematic framework. According to the accounts cited, violations include the killing of unarmed civilians who posed no imminent threat, the execution of individuals after surrender, the torture and degrading treatment of detainees, and the desecration of human remains. Such acts constitute blatant breaches of international humanitarian law, including the fundamental principles of distinction and proportionality, as well as the absolute prohibition of cruel and inhuman treatment.
The Center further emphasized that the evidentiary weight of these testimonies is heightened by the fact that they come from soldiers directly involved in the military campaign. This lends strong credibility to the allegations and points to an entrenched policy or widespread practice, rather than isolated misconduct. As such, these crimes trigger individual criminal responsibility under international law and are not subject to statutes of limitation.
Hemaya Center warned that the continued inaction and silence of the international community amount to a failure to uphold binding legal obligations, particularly the duty of states to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law under all circumstances.
In conclusion, Hemaya called on the international community to exert meaningful pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to immediately halt violations against Palestinian civilians and to ensure their protection under international law. The Center also urged support for the establishment of an independent, impartial international investigation under United Nations auspices, with full access to evidence and witnesses. Furthermore, it called on the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to incorporate these testimonies into ongoing investigations concerning the situation in Palestine and to treat them as compelling evidence of crimes falling within the Court’s jurisdiction.
Hemaya Center for Human Rights
21 April 2026