The Mondoweiss website published a report on Friday highlighting the efforts of the Hind Rajab Foundation, an NGO dedicated to prosecuting Israeli soldiers accused of committing war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The foundation relies on evidence gathered from soldiers’ social media posts during the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza. The report, reviewed by Sanad News Agency, details how the foundation was established following the tragic death of six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli occupation forces. Hind was found in the back seat of a destroyed car, meters away from an Israeli Merkava tank. Her aunt and uncle were found dead in the front seats, while four of her cousins lay bleeding beside her. “Hind Rajab was martyred a year ago at the age of six. Now, the foundation bearing her name seeks justice—not only for Hind but for countless Palestinians killed by Israel in violation of international law,” the report states. Unlike other organizations that target the Israeli state, the Hind Rajab Foundation focuses on holding individual soldiers accountable. Based in Brussels, the foundation has identified 1,000 Israeli soldiers it believes should face prosecution. On October 8, it submitted a comprehensive file to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, supported by 8,000 pieces of evidence, including soldiers’ own social media posts from Gaza. These posts, shared on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Telegram, include boasts about deliberate killings of civilians, including medical workers, journalists, and individuals waving white flags. Soldiers also documented the destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, markets, and mosques, as well as acts of forced starvation and looting. Haroun Reda, a lawyer for the foundation, explained that the organization has been monitoring Israeli war crimes in Gaza since December 2023, with the help of a global network of activists and lawyers. “The foundation has a vast network of investigators inside and outside the country,” Reda said. The group focuses on the social media accounts of soldiers who served in Gaza over the past 15 months, many of whom posted photos and videos revealing their locations and actions during the war. The foundation cross-references these posts with dates, times, and locations in Gaza to build its case. “All of these soldiers have social media accounts, and many shared group photos and documented their activities during the war,” Reda added. The report comes as a 42-day ceasefire, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on January 19. The truce aims to pave the way for further negotiations and subsequent phases of peace efforts. Over the past 15 months, Israeli forces, backed by the United States, have been accused of committing genocide in Gaza, resulting in approximately 159,000 Palestinian casualties—mostly women and children—along with over 14,000 missing persons. The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, with widespread destruction and suffering. The Hind Rajab Foundation’s efforts underscore the growing use of digital evidence to hold perpetrators of war crimes accountable, even as the international community grapples with the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
