Hind Rajab Foundation files UK war crimes complaint against Israeli soldier

The Hind Rajab Foundation on Sunday filed a criminal complaint with UK authorities against Israeli reservist Lidor Dafna, accusing him of war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide over his alleged role in destroying civilian food production facilities in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the group.

Bulldozer operator accused of destroying flour mill

The foundation said Dafna serves as a D9 armored bulldozer operator in the 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, participating in military operations in Gaza and Lebanon since November 2023. The complaint centers on footage posted by Dafna on social media that allegedly shows him demolishing wheat silos at Great Ocean Mills, an industrial flour-producing facility located in the Morag Corridor between Khan Younis and Rafah, on May 25, 2025.

According to the foundation, Israeli forces subsequently occupied the building and converted it into a military base, reportedly using the site to shoot Palestinians seeking food aid at a nearby Gaza Humanitarian Foundation location. The destruction occurred while Israel had sealed the enclave to food, fuel and medicine, with flour prices reportedly reaching $70 per kilogram and half a million people facing starvation conditions. The foundation noted that Dafna's battalion carried out more than 60 controlled demolitions of buildings, including mosques and residential blocks, contributing to widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and agricultural land during the establishment of the Morag Corridor.

Allegations of genocide and starvation

The group's investigation indicates that Dafna may be criminally responsible for extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity, intentionally targeting civilian objects, using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, extermination as a crime against humanity and genocide. The foundation called on British authorities to open an investigation, arrest and question Dafna, citing Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which requires states to search for individuals alleged to have committed grave breaches.

Dyab Abou Jahjah, the foundation's director general, said: "Lidor Dafna filmed himself destroying one of the last remaining food production facilities serving a starving population, then posted the footage on social media as a trophy." He added: "The United Kingdom now faces a simple test: will it arrest and prosecute a man, who remains an active soldier of an army carrying out such crimes, or once again permit a perpetrator of genocide to walk freely on its soil and return to Gaza to continue committing his crimes?"

Mounting casualties

The foundation said it has reason to believe Dafna is currently present in the UK. Despite a ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, the Israeli army has continued daily attacks in Gaza, killing at least 1,551 Palestinians and injuring 5,573 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Since October 2023, Israel has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and injured over 175,000 others in Gaza, while around 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed.