An Israeli soldier was immediately evacuated from Brazil by the country’s embassy after a Brazilian court proposed investigating the man for committing war crimes. In response, Tel Aviv instructed its soldiers to be careful about what they post on social media. 

The Hind Rajab Foundation filed a complaint that an Israeli soldier who entered Brazil had committed war crimes in Gaza. On Saturday, it was confirmed that a court opened an investigation. The foundation said that the soldier posted videos to social media where he destroyed Palestinian homes. 

The HRF accused the soldier of “participating in massive demolitions of civilian homes in Gaza during a systematic campaign of destruction.” Adding, “These acts are part of a broader effort to impose unbearable living conditions on Palestinian civilians, constituting genocide and crimes against humanity under international law.”

Following the opening of the inquiry, Israel helped to move the man from Brazil to Argentina, and Tel Aviv told its soldiers to be careful what they post online. 

Soldiers in the Israeli Defense Force have posted hundreds of videos and images of them committing war crimes in Gaza, including looting and destroying Palestinian homes. 

Israeli leaders, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, are wanted by the International Criminal Court for their role in ordering an extermination campaign against the Palestinians in Gaza. 

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid slammed Netanyahu over the incident in Brazil. “The fact that an Israeli reservist was forced to flee Brazil in the dead of night to avoid being arrested for fighting in Gaza is a huge political failure by an irresponsible government that simply doesn’t know how to work,” he said. “It cannot be that IDF soldiers — both regular service and reservists — are afraid to go on a trip abroad for fear of being arrested.” 

Efforts to prosecute Israeli leaders and soldiers come amid significant declines in Israel’s public image as people around the world have been repulsed by the 15-month-long genocide being committed in Gaza. 

The Hind Rajab Foundation is named for a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was gunned down along with several members of her family and paramedics after pleading for help from emergency services.