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

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffFebruary 18, 2026 at 10:37 AM

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In February 2026, a Chilean court is considering a criminal complaint against Rom Kovtun, a former Israeli army sniper who served in Gaza. Kovtun's social media posts revealed his presence in Chile, potentially opening him up to prosecution under the principle of "universal jurisdiction." The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), named after a Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, filed the complaint, accusing Kovtun of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity based on his online activity. Chile's domestic law incorporates the ICC's Rome Statute, allowing its courts to exercise universal jurisdiction when the accused is unlikely to be tried in their home country. The HRF is building legal cases against Israeli soldiers using their own social media posts as evidence.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Santiago 30% Pablo Andres Araya ×240% 424th Shaked Battalion 40% Lucia Newman 40% International Criminal Court (ICC) 50% Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) ×470% Israel ×370% Gaza Strip ×580% Chile ×480% Rom Kovtun ×490%

Keywords

war crimes 90% universal jurisdiction 80% israeli army 70% gaza 70% criminal complaint 60% social media 60% chile 50% genocide 50% international criminal court 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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war crimes universal jurisdiction israeli army gaza criminal complaint social media chile genocide international criminal court

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