Israeli army sniper in Chile accused of Gaza war crimes could face justice

A Chilean court is reviewing a criminal complaint against Rom Kovtun, a former Israeli army sniper who served in Gaza, after his own social media posts showed he was holidaying in Chile — a fact that allows prosecutors to invoke universal jurisdiction. The complaint was filed by the Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), which accuses Kovtun of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity for his alleged role with Israel’s 424th Shaked Battalion in the siege of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza between March and April 2024. HRF says the siege cut off water, food, medicine and electricity, contributing to the deaths of an estimated 500 medical staff and patients. Key points: - Kovtun, an Israeli-Ukrainian, was identified from Instagram posts showing him in south-central Chile with other former soldiers. - HRF, named after a Palestinian child killed in Gaza, uses social media evidence and a global team of lawyers to bring cases. - Chile’s law incorporates the ICC Rome Statute, enabling courts to exercise universal jurisdiction when suspects are unlikely to be tried in their home country — HRF argues this applies because Israel will not prosecute. - Chile has a large Palestinian diaspora and public sympathy for Palestinians, though reporters say that public sentiment does not affect the legal case. Newman said the matter is a purely legal, complex judicial issue that could take a long time—potentially long enough for the former Israeli sniper to have disappeared.