The soldiers had posted images on social media from their deployment in northern Gaza, some depicting blindfolded Palestinian detainees – evidence of crimes.
Two Israeli soldiers vacationing in Amsterdam fled to Israel after pro-Palestine groups identified them and sought to pursue legal action against the pair for war crimes in Gaza.
This marks the first time active-duty soldiers have faced such a situation, as past cases primarily involved reservists, the Quds News Network (QNN) reported.
The two soldiers had posted images on social media from their deployment in northern Gaza, some depicting blindfolded Palestinian detainees – evidence of crimes, the report noted. They also shared updates about their trip to the Netherlands.
Pro-Palestinian groups posted the soldiers’ information online and were mobilizing to have arrest warrants issued for the two who were instructed by Israeli occupation authorities to remain in their hotel room in case of the unlikely event that arrest warrants would be issued for them, Israeli reports, cited by QNN, said. The soldiers were quickly extracted and have since returned to Israel.
‘Evacuated’
The Israeli KAN broadcaster, cited by the Anadolu news agency, said the soldiers were evacuated from Amsterdam after organizations working to issue arrest warrants against Israeli soldiers circulated their photos.
Yesterday, two Israeli soldiers landed in Amsterdam . One of them is a war criminal. Our lawyers moved on him, in silence. However, after some large accounts online started tagging us with their pictures, the Israelis were alerted and immediately smuggled them out of the… pic.twitter.com/8UFOI1j3ik
— The Hind Rajab Foundation (@HindRFoundation) February 18, 2025
The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a Belgium-based pro-Palestine group that leads a legal charge against Israeli soldiers’ war crimes in Gaza, acknowledged tracking the soldiers.
“Yesterday, two Israeli soldiers landed in Amsterdam. One of them is a war criminal,” the organization posted on X on Tuesday.
“Our lawyers moved on him, in silence. However, after some large accounts online started tagging us with their pictures, the Israelis were alerted and immediately smuggled them out of the Netherlands,” it added.
Israeli Genocide Tracker
On Monday, the Israeli Genocide Tracker published photos of the soldiers on its X account.
“After participating in the Gaza genocide, this Israeli tank commander from the 52nd Battalion, who was involved in kidnapping hundreds of civilians (especially in Jabalia) and who enjoyed taking selfies with them, landed in Amsterdam today for a vacation,” the group stated.
After participating in the Gaza genocide, this Israeli tank commander from the 52nd Battalion, who was involved in kidnapping hundreds of civilians (especially in Jabalia) and who enjoyed taking selfies with them, landed in Amsterdam today for a vacation. pic.twitter.com/ceNttIooo5
— Israel Genocide Tracker (@trackingisrael) February 16, 2025
The two soldiers had permission to travel to the Netherlands, according to Israel’s Channel 12, cited by Anadolu.
The Israeli military decided that the soldiers should cut their vacation short and return to Israel, and were told to delete all footage related to the war in Gaza from their social media, the report noted.
Israeli Givati reservist proudly posted that during the Gaza genocide, he was granted the “privilege” to participate and assert “superiority” over Palestinians—making up for 2014 failure.
He shared images of himself next to Palestinian civilians they kidnapped from Khan Yunis. pic.twitter.com/NY4t2wVAYw
— Israel Genocide Tracker (@trackingisrael) February 16, 2025
Soldiers, including those in the reserves, “have been advised to delete any photos they posted to social media of their time in war zones,” the Times of Israel reported on Wednesday.
They have also been advised “to consider making their social media accounts private, enabling only acquaintances to access the information. Soldiers are also told to not publish information about trips they take abroad,” the paper noted.
Case in Brazil
Last month a Brazilian court issued an order for police to investigate an Israeli reservist who was in Brazil on vacation, for war crimes in Gaza, based on a complaint filed by the HRF.
Yuval Vagdani fled to Argentina with the help of the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, the organization said, citing Israel Army radio.
Brazil Issues First-Ever Arrest Warrant for Israeli Soldier over Gaza War Crimes
“After Yuval Vagdani’s escape from Brazil to Argentina, the HRF filed another criminal case against Yuval Vagdani, this time in the country that he fled to, Argentina,” the group said in a statement.
“When this case was filed, we called on Argentina to act in compliance with international law and upon its duties to the ICC. Vagdani ended up fleeing Argentina once again, and is now back in Israel,” it added.
The statement noted that the Vagdani case “signifies the start of bringing accountability to Israeli soldiers.”
“Those who have committed crimes against humanity should not feel comfortable enough to take vacations or visit other countries after carrying out these atrocities through carnage and destruction,” it added.
The organization pointed out that its actions “gained a lot of attention in Israel.”
Israeli ‘Guide’ for Soldiers
After Vagdani’s escape to Argentina, it noted, the Israeli news outlet Ynet published a guide entitled “Here’s how to act if arrested abroad and what to check before flight” for soldiers wanting to travel abroad, featuring advice from Nick Kaufman, a defense lawyer at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Hind Rajab Foundation Pursues War Crimes Charges against Israel’s FM Sa’ar
“The IDF announced new measures to conceal the identities of soldiers. IDF soldiers are now directly instructed to not post on social media. Furthermore, when IDF soldiers give interviews, news outlets are now obliged to blur their faces and only use initials instead of names,” it said.
President of the Hind Rajab Foundation, Dyab Abou Jahjah, said that this decision marks a historic moment that sets a powerful precedent for nations to take bold action in holding perpetrators of war crimes accountable.
Case against 1,000 Soldiers
The HRF has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against 1,000 Israeli soldiers for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza.
It said the complaint is “supported by over 8,000 pieces of verifiable evidence – including videos, audio recordings, forensic reports, and social media documentation – demonstrates the soldiers’ direct involvement in these atrocities.”
Throughout the Gaza genocide, Israeli soldiers published videos of themselves committing crimes. This gave access to the crimes “in forms of confession,” says @Aboujahjah.@HindRFoundation is gathering this material to file cases against Israeli soldiers worldwide. pic.twitter.com/uTBsvtbhS3
— Electronic Intifada (@intifada) February 3, 2025
The HRF noted that all of the named soldiers “were located in Gaza during the genocidal assault, and the evidence reveals their participation in violations of international law.”
“This complaint is not only the largest ever submitted to the ICC, but it is also a milestone in documenting Israeli war crimes for future generations,” the HRF said.
‘Historical Record’
“By meticulously identifying the perpetrators and detailing their crimes, we are establishing a historical record that will ensure the individuals responsible are remembered and held accountable,” it added.
‘Undeniable’ – Probe Confirms Israeli Army Presence when Hind Rajab was Killed in Gaza
The soldiers named include “high-ranking officers and commanders responsible for planning and executing military operations in Gaza, numerous individuals with dual citizenship, including 12 from France, 12 from the United States, 4 from Canada, 3 from the United Kingdom, and 2 from the Netherlands,” as well as soldiers “who have openly boasted about their war crimes on social media.”
The HRF was established last year in memory of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl who was killed along with six family members, by Israeli tank fire that targeted a vehicle in Gaza’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood.
(PC, Anadolu, QNN)
