Limassol, Cyprus. Activists from the Brussels-based Hind Rajab foundation called for the arrest of an Israeli soldier it said is currently in Limassol, accusing him of war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide in Gaza.
Complaint submitted to Cypriot authorities
The foundation said it submitted a formal complaint to Justice Minister Costas Fitiris, police chief Themistos Arnaoutis and attorney-general George Savvides, demanding the immediate arrest and detention of the soldier, whom it named as Ori Narkis.
Allegations linked to Beit Lahia school
The foundation alleged that Narkis had direct involvement in the destruction of a primary school in the town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza and in the forcible displacement of the town’s civilian inhabitants.
Evidence cited by the foundation
The foundation said a report on Narkis’ actions was compiled using open-source intelligence, geolocated social media evidence and satellite imagery, which it said established a timeline of conduct attributed to him between October 2024 and January 2025.
It said the school it accused Narkis of destroying served as a shelter for thousands of internally displaced Palestinians and was targeted after its occupants were forcibly removed. The foundation said drone footage released by the Israeli military documented an evacuation in which men were separated and detained and families were forced to march under the threat of drone strikes and artillery fire.
It added that after the evacuation the school was set on fire and that social media posts by Narkis and his teammates documented the burning of the Aleppo School and other nearby shelters.
Claims of legal violations
The foundation said these actions constituted severe violations of international humanitarian law and international criminal law.
Statement from foundation director-general
Foundation director-general Dyab Abou Jahjah said the presence of Ori Narkis in Cyprus was a moral and legal imperative for the Cypriot state, adding that Cyprus had a binding obligation under international law to act and that there was no safe haven for war criminals.
What action, if any, will Cypriot authorities take in response to the foundation’s complaint?
