For the first time in Europe, on Sunday, July 20, two Israeli soldiers were interrogated by Belgian courts as part of an investigation into possible war crimes, genocide, and other acts they may have committed in Gaza.
The soldiers were detained by Belgian police while attending an electronic music festival near Antwerp, according to Le Monde.
Over the weekend of July 19–20, two non-governmental organizations — the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) — filed a complaint against the two men with the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
They are accused of violating international laws in Gaza and allegedly participating in Israel’s military campaign following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack.
According to the NGOs, the two soldiers were directly involved in attacks against civilians, illegal arrests, and forced displacement of people.
The soldiers were released after interrogation and are free to leave Belgium, but the investigation is ongoing.
The federal prosecutor aims to establish that Belgium has the legal authority to prosecute foreign nationals for crimes committed outside its territory.
