Israeli soldier accused of Gaza war crimes leaves India, was holidaying in Himachal

A second Israeli soldier accused by a Palestinian rights organisation of war crimes in Gaza has left India, weeks after a criminal complaint was filed against him. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier, whose identity has not been made public, reportedly left India in mid-September after the Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) filed a complaint in August alleging his involvement in the destruction of civilian property in Gaza.

"It still remains unclear whether the complaint prompted the IDF soldier's departure or whether his holiday in India had simply ended," a lawyer close to the case was quoted as saying by the London-based online news outlet Middle East Eye.

Pro-Palestine activists have been trying to track down Israeli soldiers in India like in other parts of the world. Israelis choose India for their vacations because the country is among the few places which haven't seen anti-Semitism.

The activists have tracked the IDF soldiers to countries like the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Cyprus, Romania, Brazil, Chile, and Sri Lanka. Some have suggested that the doxing of off-duty soldiers puts their lives at risk.

The development of the IDF soldier leaving India comes three months after HRF filed a separate complaint seeking the arrest of Israeli reservist Eitan Gilboa, who was traced to Himachal Pradesh. Gilboa subsequently left India.

The latest complaint, filed by the Brussels-based HRF on August 18, alleged that the unnamed soldier documented his deployment in Gaza and his direct involvement in what the Palestine rights organisation called the unlawful destruction of civilian property during Israeli military operations in the Khan Younis Governorate.

The organisation said the alleged conduct could amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide. These are allegations made by HRF and have not been established against the unidentified soldier in court.

According to HRF, the complaint focuses on the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Abasan al-Saghira in the southern Gaza Strip between March and April 2024. Middle East Eye quoted the organisation saying its evidence included material documenting the soldier's deployment and satellite imagery that, according to its analysis, showed the destruction of homes and agricultural land after Israeli forces had established control over the area.

"This second complaint filed in India is part of our commitment and duty to bring perpetrators before the courts," HRF director general Dyab Abou Jahjah told Middle East Eye after the August filing. The HRF director had also urged Indian authorities to act on the allegations.

HRF has filed complaints against IDF soldiers in various countries, including the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Cyprus, Romania, Brazil, Chile, and Sri Lanka.

India is a popular holiday destination for Israeli soldiers, many of whom visit the country after completing their mandatory military service.SECOND CASE OF ISRAELI SOLDIER LEAVING INDIA

This is the second time in 2026 that HRF has located and filed a complaint against an Israeli soldier travelling in India.

In June, HRF filed a complaint with police, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration seeking the arrest of Eitan Gilboa, an IDF reservist who was then vacationing in Himachal Pradesh.

The Palestine rights group identified Gilboa as a member of the Israeli military's 271st Combat Engineering Battalion. HRF accused him of involvement in the demolition of civilian buildings in Khan Younis and Rafah.

The Brussels-based organisation said Gilboa had posted or appeared in videos relating to the destruction of buildings in Gaza. According to a report in The Hindu, HRF submitted geolocated videos, social media materials and chain-of-command documentation to Indian authorities.

Gilboa was traced by pro-Palestinian activists to locations in Himachal Pradesh, including Old Manali and Gondla, according to news reports in June. He later left India.

The latest case therefore follows a similar sequence. An Israeli soldier travelling in India was identified through publicly available material, HRF filed a complaint with Indian authorities, and the soldier later left the country.advertisementTHE REASON ISRAELI SOLDIERS TRAVEL TO INDIAIndia has long been a popular destination for young Israelis after their mandatory military service. The extended post-service trip, commonly known as tiul gadol, can last several months and has contributed to the emergence of an informal 'Hummus Trail' across parts of India.

Popular destinations among Israeli travellers have included Kasol, Dharamkot, Goa, Hampi, Gokarna, Kodaikanal, Rishikesh, Varanasi and Pushkar.

The popularity of India among Israeli tourists has also been reflected in bilateral tourism efforts. In February 2026, the Israeli government allocated 4 million Israeli currency shekels for initiatives aimed at strengthening tourism cooperation with India.

For HRF, however, the presence of former Israeli military personnel in India, like in other countries, has created another avenue for pursuing legal complaints over alleged conduct in Gaza.

The complaints against IDF soldiers come against the backdrop of the continuing legal and political fallout from Israel's military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Israel bombarded Gaza after Hamas terrorists crossed into the Jewish country, murdered around 1,000 people, raped and kidnapped scores of others.

More than 73,000 Palestinians have been reported killed in Gaza since the start of Israel's campaign, according to figures cited by Reuters from local health officials.

The conflict has also resulted in extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure.- EndsPublished By: Avinash KateelPublished On: Sep 23, 2026 16:43 IST