“The prosecution of Major Yair Ohana represents not only a demand for justice for the victims of Gaza, but also a test of Greece’s commitment to its international obligations. The crimes documented are not abstract violations, but acts of calculated savagery aimed at the extermination of a civilian population through destruction, displacement and terror,” the foundation said in a statement.

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) was established to break the cycle of Israeli impunity and to honour the memory of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza on 29 January 2024, when the Israeli army murdered her, six members of her family, and two rescuers who attempted to reach her.

On 3 September 2025, the foundation, represented by lawyer Eugenia Kouniaki, formally filed a complaint in Athens against Major Ohana, an officer in the Israeli armed forces. Ohana served as a company commander and logistics officer in the 432nd Infantry Battalion “Tzabar” of the Givati Brigade – a key unit deployed in Israel’s assault on Gaza. The complaint argues that, as commander and logistics officer, Ohana bore direct responsibility for supporting the battalion’s operations and thus for its crimes.

Nature of the crimes

Systematic attacks on civilian targets
According to the foundation, under the so-called “Generals’ Plan” the 432nd Battalion carried out the destruction of Netzarim and Jabaliya, targeting homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure with the aim of rendering northern Gaza permanently uninhabitable. Such acts, it argues, constitute war crimes under the Rome Statute and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Torture and inhuman treatment
Evidence links Ohana to the transfer of Palestinians arrested in Gaza under degrading conditions: blindfolded, handcuffed, and transported to Israel. These acts violate the UN Convention against Torture and amount to war crimes.

Genocide
By creating conditions of life designed to make survival impossible – through the destruction of residential areas and other civilian infrastructure – the 432nd Battalion, the foundation argues, contributed to genocide as defined in Article 6(c) of the Rome Statute. The transfer of detainees under inhuman conditions, exposing them to torture, also constitutes “serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group” under Article 6(b).

Jurisdiction of Greece

The foundation stresses that Ohana’s presence in Greece imposes obligations on the state:

  • Article 28 of the Constitution incorporates international conventions such as the Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture into domestic law.

  • Article 8 of the Penal Code extends Greek jurisdiction to crimes committed abroad when required by international conventions.

  • Law 1782/1988 (Convention against Torture) and Law 3481/1955 (Geneva Conventions) establish an absolute obligation to prosecute or extradite those responsible for torture and grave breaches.

Greece, the foundation argues, is therefore obliged to open a criminal investigation and, if evidence is sufficient, to prosecute.

Regional and international cooperation

The indictment and supporting dossier have also been shared with neighbouring states – Turkey, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Cyprus – in an effort to prevent safe havens for suspects. The report was forwarded to Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, South Africa, Brazil, and Peru, all countries engaged in accountability efforts, as well as to Interpol and the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The foundation concludes: “By bringing proceedings against Ohana, Greece has the opportunity to stand on the side of international law, justice and humanity, and to send a clear message that impunity for war crimes and genocide will not be tolerated on its soil.”

______________________________________________

Are you seeking news from Greece presented from a progressive, non-mainstream perspective? Subscribe monthly or annually to support TPP International in delivering independent reporting in English. Don’t let Greek progressive voices fade.

Make sure to reference “TPP International” and your order number as the reason for payment.