US-Israeli, Jake Burkons. Photo: HRF.
The US-Israeli citizen is accused of taking part in operations to render large portions of Gaza uninhabitable
On 16 June, the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) formally requested that the US Department of Justice arrest and prosecute US-Israeli dual national Jake Burkons, who is currently attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup, over war crimes committed in Gaza.
The foundation states that Burkons is involved in war crimes and acts of genocide committed in the Gaza Strip.
This action follows a criminal complaint filed by the group last month in Sri Lanka, where Burkons had been vacationing.
The report details that Burkons served in Company D of the 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion, a unit within the 7th Armored Brigade of the Israeli army, and had enlisted voluntarily following the launch of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza on 7 October 2023.
While the battalion is officially assigned to engineering roles such as mine clearance and fortification, the HRF reports its actual operations involved the systematic destruction of residential zones to facilitate splitting the territory.
Hind Rajab Foundations calls for DOJ to arrest dual Israeli-US citizen attending World Cup for Gaza war crimes
——
The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed a formal request with the US Department of Justice to investigate, arrest, and prosecute Jake Burkons, a dual Israeli-US citizen… pic.twitter.com/hJp7XiGDCy— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) June 16, 2026
These activities included establishing military corridors like the “Morag Axis” in southern Gaza, meant to solidify control and facilitate the movement of Israeli forces.
Investigators documented at least 65 controlled demolitions performed by the battalion between October 2023 and mid-2025. These strikes targeted mosques, industrial sites, agricultural land, and homes.
The unit is further accused of attacking hospitals and the unlawful detention and ill-treatment of civilians.
The HRF links Burkons to a specific instance of unlawful destruction in Khan Yunis during October–November 2025.
Evidence includes social media posts showing Burkons holding a detonation cable inside a ruined civilian building and sharing geotagged demolition footage featuring his company’s insignia.
The legal filing cites 18 USC § 2441 (war crimes) and 18 USC § 1091 (genocide), affirming the wanton destruction of property and attacks on undefended buildings, actions that are “not justified by military necessity.”
Jake Romm, the foundation’s representative in the US, stated that “The War Crimes Act was passed to prevent all war criminals, without regard to nationality, from finding safe harbor in the United States.”
Romm added, “When US citizens go abroad to commit war crimes and genocide, the duty to prosecute becomes even more important.”
The HRF is urging the Department of Justice to issue an arrest warrant and prevent Burkons from leaving US jurisdiction.
The latest case follows an earlier complaint filed by the HRF on 2 June, demanding that India arrest Israeli reservist Eitan Gilboa over self-documented war crimes in Gaza.
Hind Rajab Foundation (@HindRFoundation) has filed a complaint with police & Ministry of Home Affairs in India, demanding arrest of Eitan Gilboa, who is currently in Himachal Pradesh. He is a reservist in the Israeli army, who personally carried out and celebrated the systematic…
— CPIML Liberation (@cpimlliberation) June 2, 2026
The HRF submitted evidence to Indian authorities, and included videos and social media posts showing Gilboa celebrating the systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure in Gaza as part of his service in the Israeli military.
The HRF warned that New Delhi risks complicity if it fails to act, noting that extended post-service trips Israeli soldiers take to countries like India – informally known as the ‘Hummus Trail’ – cannot become a route for impunity.
Indian authorities have so far not taken any action to apprehend Gilboa, with no publicly available information on whether he is currently in the country.
