Above photo: HRF.
Targets Israeli citizen over Gaza war crimes.
The case cites the soldier’s involvement in demolitions of civilian infrastructure and public statements asserting that ‘there are no civilians in Gaza’.
Belgium-based NGO, Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), filed a legal complaint in a US court on 4 February, demanding a criminal investigation into Israeli dual-national Adi Karni, a former sergeant in the 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion of the Israeli army, over war crimes and genocidal acts committed in Gaza.
The filing was submitted while Karni was physically present in the US, where he is scheduled to speak publicly at Boston University. HRF said his presence “directly engages US jurisdiction” and triggers a legal obligation to investigate under federal law.
The complaint invokes the War Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. §2441) and the Genocide Statute (18 U.S.C. §1091), which grants US courts jurisdiction over individuals present on US territory who are credibly accused of committing international crimes abroad.
According to HRF, “jurisdiction is not discretionary: presence activates responsibility.”
The US filing follows earlier complaints lodged by HRF in multiple countries, including Peru, where a formal criminal investigation into Karni for genocide is already underway.
Hind Rajab Foundation files complaint in the US against Israeli soldier for war crimes and genocide in Gaza
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The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed a legal complaint in the United States against Adi Karni, an Israeli national and former sergeant in the 603rd Combat… pic.twitter.com/mGuCcVqvcg— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) February 4, 2026
The foundation says additional filings have been made elsewhere “to ensure that jurisdiction is activated wherever he travels.”
HRF’s submission is based on an investigative report prepared in line with international evidentiary standards.
The report documents Karni’s alleged direct involvement in “controlled demolitions of civilian infrastructure,” the destruction of protected religious buildings, including mosques, and participation in what HRF describes as “widespread and systematic destruction” carried out by his unit in Gaza.
The report also cites Karni’s post-deployment statements, including assertions that “there are no civilians in Gaza,” which HRF argues are legally relevant in establishing intent and patterns of dehumanization.
The foundation says the conduct documented “may constitute war crimes” and, when assessed in context, contributes to the legal elements of crimes against humanity and genocide.
Beyond his military service, HRF says Karni has taken on a public role, “travelling internationally to justify, glorify, and normalize the destruction of Gaza,” which the foundation argues reinforces the crimes under investigation rather than distancing him from them.
As a result of his continued international travel and public appearances, “an investigation is already open in Peru, and filings have been made in several other countries,” said HRF director Dyab Abou Jahjah.
“When an individual accused of genocide continues to travel and publicly justify those crimes, every state he enters has a legal obligation to act.”
HRF stressed that the complaint rests on documented evidence, not political disagreement, and described the US filing as a test of whether Washington will enforce its own statutes when confronted with credible allegations of international crimes.
In a separate recent case in January, HRF submitted an urgent request to the US Department of Justice seeking prosecution of former Israeli combat soldier and comedian Guy Hochman.
The filing followed Hochman’s detention and questioning in Canada and included documented evidence of war crimes and public incitement to genocide. This comes as part of a broader international legal push targeting Israeli individuals over alleged crimes linked to Gaza.
