Gaza Journalist Files War Crimes Complaint in Belgium
A Palestinian journalist who was shot at while covering the siege of Nasser Hospital in Gaza has filed a criminal complaint in Belgium against a Belgian-Israeli dual national accused of serving as a sniper in an elite Israeli army unit. Mohammed Alhelou, 24, says he was targeted despite wearing a clearly marked “PRESS” bulletproof vest, and that only the protective equipment saved his life.
The complaint, filed alongside one by the Hind Rajab Foundation, names A.B., a resident of the Brussels municipality of Uccle who allegedly served in the 9th Sniper Platoon of the Israeli army’s 202nd Paratroopers Battalion — a unit known as the “Ghost Unit” or “Refaim.”
A Targeted Shot
Alhelou, who covered the conflict from inside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis between December 2023 and February 2024, told RTBF that he was shot in the back while working inside the hospital complex.
“A sniper shot me in the back. I was clearly wearing a bulletproof vest with the word ‘press’ on it,” Alhelou said in an interview. “The sniper knew I was a journalist, he knew I worked in the hospital. It was a targeted shot and without that vest, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Alhelou says he suffered approximately thirty attacks during his time in Gaza and was specifically targeted by sniper fire on three separate occasions. He described the ordeal as part of a broader pattern of violence against journalists in the enclave.
“I consider myself a survivor and I believe that what is happening in Gaza is also a genocide against journalists,” he said. “And nobody cares.”
The Ghost Unit
The alleged perpetrator, identified by the Hind Rajab Foundation as Alon ben Sira, is one of more than 400 Belgian-Israeli dual nationals who have served in the Israeli army. The Ghost Unit gained international attention in April 2024 when journalist Younis Tirawi exposed its operations after an Israeli soldier uploaded a YouTube video showing the unit’s activities in Gaza City.
According to the foundation’s investigation, the unit killed more than 105 individuals during its deployment, shooting anyone who crossed a self-defined “line” without distinction between civilians and lawful military targets. The unit reportedly consisted of 21 snipers, including nationals from the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium.
The Brussels Times reported that the case centres on allegations that A.B. may have been involved in war crimes while serving with the Israeli military in Gaza. Investigators are examining whether the sniper unit positioned around Nasser Hospital fired on civilians attempting to enter the medical facility, as well as doctors and journalists working in the area.
Legal Proceedings in Belgium
The case has a complex legal history. A criminal investigation into A.B. was first opened by a Brussels examining magistrate in October 2024, following a complaint by the Association Belgo-Palestinienne. The VRT NWS reported at the time that the federal prosecutor’s office had opened an investigation into possible war crimes allegedly committed by the man from Uccle.
On June 9, 2026, two new complaints were filed — one by Alhelou directly and one by the Hind Rajab Foundation — against A.B. and against unknown persons. The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office confirmed on June 18 that it was taking knowledge of the two new complaints, as BruxellesToday reported.
Belgium’s universal jurisdiction provisions under Article 136 quater of the Belgian Criminal Code allow prosecution of war crimes committed abroad when a Belgian national is involved. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs argue that Belgium has a particular responsibility given that Belgians are present among both victims and alleged perpetrators.
“The Belgian authorities now have a clear legal and moral responsibility to act,” said Dyab Abou Jahjah, General Director of the Hind Rajab Foundation. “The evidence concerning Alon ben Sira’s alleged involvement in war crimes is serious, concrete, and actionable.”
Witness Accounts from Nasser Hospital
The complaint is supported by testimony from Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Moghrabi, a Palestinian doctor who was formally interviewed by Belgian Federal Police in November 2025 regarding the siege and sniper attacks he witnessed.
“We were receiving fatalities and people wounded from sniper fire and quadcopters inside the hospital,” Dr. Moghrabi said. “Among them were displaced people and medical staff. A patient was hit by sniper fire in the neck while inside the bathroom.”
Alhelou’s own brother, Motaz, was killed in December 2023 by sniper crossfire in Gaza City after being deported from US detention to Gaza.
Journalists Under Fire
The case highlights the extreme dangers faced by journalists covering the conflict in Gaza. According to UN News, at least 289 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with more than 200 Palestinian journalists arrested by Israeli forces, many held in administrative detention. International journalists remain barred from independent access to Gaza.
Alhelou, who is currently a refugee in the Netherlands waiting for his papers, says he continues to receive threats and intimidation attempts. Despite everything he has endured, he remains focused on seeking accountability.
“We’re not talking about a single soldier, they are all guilty of crimes,” he said. “I’m not doing this for myself, but because I care about others. If they targeted me, if they killed nearly 300 of my journalist friends, they will continue to kill the few friends I have left.”
What’s Next
The Belgian federal prosecutor is reviewing the new complaints, which add to an ongoing investigation that has been active since October 2024. Legal experts say the case could set an important precedent for holding dual nationals accountable for alleged crimes committed while serving in foreign militaries.
Alhelou, meanwhile, holds onto a simple hope. “We don’t ask for much,” he said. “We ask for justice, freedom, peace. Before, I worked, I dreamed, I studied, I had friends. I had a life!”