The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) filed a criminal complaint against Belgian-Israeli citizen Alon ben Sira, who served in the 9th Sniper Platoon of the Auxiliary Company of the 202nd Parachute Battalion operating in Gaza (also known as „Spirit Unit” or Rephaim) served.
The HRF submission is Association belgo-palestinienne expands on the original complaint filed by HRF and provides new evidence of war crimes committed by the „Spirit Unit” during the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It also details the unit’s chain of command and its operations in Gaza City and Khan Yunis, with particular reference to the siege and attack on Nasser Hospital. The HRF’s investigation is supported by the testimony and evidence of two Palestinian witnesses, one of whom has previously filed a criminal complaint with the Belgian authorities.
Alon ben Sira is one of more than 400 Belgian-Israeli dual citizens who served in the Israeli army. HRF continues to file complaints against additional individuals identified in its systematic investigation and demands that the Belgian authorities investigate all of them for serious war crimes and genocide.
The „Spirit Unity”
In April 2024, journalist Younis Tirawi launched an investigation into the Spirit Unit after an Israeli soldier from the 202nd Parachute Battalion uploaded a YouTube video of operations in Gaza City. The footage showed the killing of unarmed people, including in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood near Al-Quds Hospital.
After months of research, Tirawi identified the unit's members, including several dual citizens, and found evidence of their involvement in the killing of civilians. As part of the investigation, Tirawi interviewed former unit member Daniel Raab, an American citizen, who admitted that he and another unit member, German citizen Daniel Graetz, had killed civilians in Gaza.
A The Mirror, the The Guardian and the German ZDF then analyzed interview footage, geolocation video evidence, drone footage, satellite imagery, and eyewitness accounts. Their joint investigation corroborated key elements of Raab's account and linked them to specific incidents in Gaza, including the deliberate targeting of civilians near Al-Quds Hospital, with particular reference to members of the Doghmosh family. Subsequently, several criminal cases were opened against dual-national members of the unit in Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy.
A screenshot from Ghost Unit footage uploaded to YouTube shows a unit member positioned in a Gaza apartment building.
New Evidence from HRF: The Destruction of the Unity of Spirit and Gaza
The HRF investigation has uncovered critical new evidence linking the Ghost Unit to the controlled bombings in Gaza City. The investigation found that the unit operated in conjunction with the 8219th Combat Engineer Battalion, providing direct support for the mining and detonation of buildings. The snipers drew „lines” around the perimeter and shot anyone who crossed them, indiscriminately targeting civilians and military targets. This tactic resulted in the deaths of more than 105 people during their deployment.
The report documents specific cases of illegal demolitions in the Sheikh Ajlin, Tel Al-Hawa and Shuja'iyya neighborhoods.
The Khan Younis attack and the siege of Nasser Hospital
The complaint analyzes the attack on Khan Yunis and the siege of Nasser Hospital between December 2023 and February 2024, highlighting a series of sniper incidents around the hospital complex that targeted civilians, including children, and medical personnel.
Testimonies of Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Moghrabi and journalist Mohammed AF Alhelou: According to the two witnesses, there were dozens of sniper attacks on civilians in and around the hospital. Journalist Alhelou, who was clearly identified by the PRESS jacket, is being represented in the civil lawsuit by HRF legal representative, attorney Jan Fermon.
Dr. Moghrabi, who was questioned by the Belgian federal police in November 2025, reported that casualties were also experienced during surgeries within the hospital: a patient was hit by a sniper shot in the bathroom, and a nursing colleague was shot in the chest on the balcony.
Statements
Dyab Abou Jahjah (HRF Director General): „The Belgian authorities have a clear legal and moral responsibility. In the case of Alon ben Sira, the evidence is serious, concrete and actionable. If a Belgian citizen participated in crimes against civilians in Gaza, Belgium is obliged to investigate and prosecute.”
Natacha Bracq (HRF Head of Litigation): „The investigation revealed that Spirit Unity operated as a systematic killing and destruction machine. Snipers established kill zones that allowed for the mass destruction of civilian homes while terrorizing and executing Palestinians.”
Jan Fermon (HRF lawyer): „Prosecution for international crimes relies on the complementary action of international and national courts. For Belgium, where both victims and perpetrators of crimes are present, looking the other way is not an option.”
