The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed a criminal complaint with Belgian authorities against Alon ben Sira, a Belgian-Israeli dual national who served as a sniper in the Israeli army’s so-called Ghost Unit in Gaza. The filing presents concrete, actionable evidence of war crimes and demands Belgium investigate and prosecute.
Alon ben Sira is just one of more than 400 Belgian-Israeli dual nationals who served in the Israeli army. HRF will continue to file complaints against individuals identified through its systematic investigation and demand the Belgian authorities investigate them all.
The Ghost Unit
The unit first came under scrutiny in April 2024, when journalist Younis Tirawi began investigating the 202nd Paratroopers Battalion. His work identified unit members and documented the killing of unarmed civilians. A former member admitted on record that he and another soldier had killed civilians in Gaza. Major outlets—Der Spiegel, The Guardian, and ZDF—later corroborated key elements against drone footage, satellite imagery, and witness testimony. Criminal investigations are now open against dual-national members in Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy.
HRF’s New Evidence: The Ghost Unit and the Destruction of Gaza
HRF’s investigation uncovers how the Ghost Unit operated alongside combat engineers during the controlled demolition of civilian buildings in Gaza City. Snipers established a lethal perimeter—a “line”—and shot anyone who crossed it. More than 105 people were killed this way, across documented operations in the Sheikh Ajlin, Tel Al-Hawa, and Shuja’iyya neighborhoods between November and December 2023.
Khan Younis Attack and Nasser Hospital Siege
The complaint also documents sniper attacks during the assault on Khan Younis and the siege of Nasser Hospital from December 2023 to February 2024. It is supported by evidence from Dr. Ahmed Moghrabi, a witness to the siege, and journalist Mohammed Alhelou, who was shot while wearing a marked PRESS jacket and has filed a complaint in cooperation with HRF.
Both Alhelou and Dr. Moghrabi remained at Nasser Hospital throughout the siege and documented more than a dozen incidents of sniper fire targeting civilians, including children and medical personnel, within the hospital grounds and surrounding areas.
Why this matters
Belgium has citizens among both the victims and the alleged perpetrators of these crimes. Under international law, the obligation is clear: investigate and prosecute.
As Dyab Abou Jahjah, General Director of HRF, puts it:
“The evidence concerning Alon ben Sira’s alleged involvement in war crimes is serious, concrete, and actionable. Accountability cannot remain theoretical. If a Belgian national participated in crimes committed against civilians in Gaza, Belgium has the duty to investigate and prosecute.”
This is one part of a wider effort to bring accountability for international crimes through national courts. Learn more about the investigation, the evidence, and how you can support HRF’s work.
→ Full details and interviews with Dr. Moghrabi and journalist Alhelou here