Elisha Livman fled after the Belgian Hind Rajab Foundation released video footage showing him participating in criminal operations in Gaza.
The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported on Monday that an officer in the Israeli occupation army was forced to flee Cyprus, where he was on a tourist trip with his wife, to avoid potential legal action.
“On the advice of Israel’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice, a reserve officer who served in Gaza was compelled to leave Cyprus over the weekend due to concerns that pro-Palestinian organizations might seek his arrest on charges of war crimes, the report said.
The officer, identified as Elisha Livman (just E.L. in Yedioth Ahronoth), reportedly fled after the Belgian Hind Rajab Foundation released video footage showing him participating in criminal operations in the Gaza Strip.
“During his reserve service in Gaza, the officer (…) uploaded multiple videos of himself to social media,” Yedioth Ahronoth said, adding that Livman also announced that he was traveling to Cyprus along with his wife.
“This prompted pro-Palestinian organizations (…) movement, to take action,” the report said.
In one clip, Livman is heard saying, “We will not stop until we burn all of Gaza.”
According to the report, Livman received an urgent call from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which had coordinated with the Ministry of Justice.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Ministry of Justice and the Israeli Embassy in Cyprus, contacted the officer to warn him of the growing risk,” according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
The ministries advised him to leave Cyprus immediately to avoid prosecution on charges of war crimes and genocide.
“The Hind Rajab Foundation later posted a tweet suggesting that Cypriot authorities had officially opened an investigation and passed it on to their legal team,” according to the Israeli paper.
The Hind Rajab Foundation stated on its website that its complaint against Livman included evidence of him setting fire to civilian property in Gaza, pointing to destroyed homes, and discussing the forced displacement of Palestinians while promoting settlement activities.
The foundation also highlighted Livman’s social media activity during his visit to Cyprus, where he allegedly incited violence against a Lebanese restaurant.
The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed complaints against 1,000 Israeli soldiers with the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing them of genocide in Gaza as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity.