Canadian police have opened a first-of-its-kind investigation into Israeli war crimes in Gaza, prompting fears of arrest among Israeli soldiers with Canadian citizenship.
Israeli soldiers holding Canadian citizenship have expressed fears of being arrested on war crimes charges after Canadian authorities launched an investigation into violations committed during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, according to The Times of Israel.
In a report published on Sunday, the Israeli newspaper said Canadian police had announced in June the opening of an investigation into the Gaza war.
The report noted that the Canadian probe could examine “core international crimes — such as genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.”
According to the newspaper, some Israeli soldiers with Canadian citizenship were named on a website managed by a Canadian journalist who accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
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The Times of Israel highlighted that this is the first time Canadian police have launched such an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes, though similar investigations have been conducted in the past against Canadian nationals involved in atrocities in places like Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
‘Structural Investigation’
In a statement, Canadian police clarified that the investigation began in early 2024 and described it as a “structural investigation”—a broad, intelligence-led effort to collect, preserve, and assess information under Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.
Authorities stressed that the investigation aims to gather evidence that could be used in potential future prosecutions if legal conditions are met.
Canadian police also announced plans to launch an online portal in French, English, Hebrew, and Arabic to allow witnesses to securely submit relevant information.
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Legal Complaints Abroad
In recent months, numerous legal complaints have been filed in Europe and Latin America against Israeli soldiers accused of committing war crimes in Gaza. Many of these cases were filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation.
In March, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) also launched the ‘Global 195’ initiative, aiming to hold Israeli individuals accountable for crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza.
Additionally, several Israeli soldiers have publicly admitted in media interviews to committing war crimes in Gaza, with some posting footage of these incidents on social media.
On November 21, 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza.
(PC, AJA, Israeli Media)
