Israel’s Implicit Admission: War Crimes in Gaza Unveiled

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has sharply criticised Israel, asserting that its efforts to prevent soldiers from sharing incriminating footage from Gaza suggest an implicit acknowledgment of war crimes. In press statements made on Friday, Albanese condemned Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, describing them as unacceptable and contrary to international human rights standards.

The Rapporteur specifically called attention to the Israeli army's directive urging soldiers to obscure or blur their faces in videos shared on social media. “Rather than cautioning its soldiers against committing crimes, Israel instructs them to hide their identities,” Albanese remarked, labelling the practice as "shocking." She further asserted that this behaviour amounts to an indirect admission that war crimes are being committed, which the international community cannot ignore.

This comes after Israel’s Yedioth Ahronot newspaper revealed on 9 January that the army has long advised its personnel in Gaza to avoid posting images or videos that could later serve as evidence of misconduct. Despite these restrictions, Albanese noted, some soldiers have defied the orders, providing material that has been used by Palestinian advocacy groups to compile lists of suspected war criminals.

Albanese also highlighted the case of an Israeli soldier who fled from Brazil to Argentina and then returned to Israel after being arrested on suspicion of war crimes in Gaza. The Rapporteur emphasised the importance of global judicial mechanisms in addressing such cases, especially when domestic avenues fail. Similar allegations have reportedly been raised against Israeli soldiers in Germany and other European nations, further underscoring the need for international accountability.

Albanese criticised the inaction of member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in pursuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She condemned countries like Poland, Hungary, and France for their unwillingness to enforce international justice, with Poland even inviting Netanyahu to Auschwitz—a move Albanese called “shameful.”

The Rapporteur concluded by warning that such double standards not only harm Palestinians but also create long-term risks for Israelis. “Many are complicit in genocide, and there is a crime of genocide unfolding in Gaza,” she asserted, calling for urgent international intervention to uphold justice and accountability.

Source : Safa News