In a landmark development for global justice, Belgian federal police have arrested two Israeli soldiers accused of committing war crimes in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The arrests follow a formal complaint lodged by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), marking a rare but powerful international response to Israel's escalating atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The two suspects, who had reportedly entered Belgium to attend the Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, were identified and taken into custody in what HRF described as a “clear show of force.” According to the organization’s statement on Monday, the soldiers were formally interrogated and later released pending further legal proceedings.

Belgium’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that a criminal investigation into the allegations is now underway, signaling an important step toward accountability under international law.

The case was initiated last week by HRF and GLAN, based on documented evidence linking the soldiers to direct participation in attacks against Palestinian civilians during the Israeli occupation's brutal assault on Gaza. The rights groups welcomed Belgium’s move as “a significant step forward.”

“At a time when far too many governments remain silent, this action sends a clear message: credible evidence of international crimes must be met with legal response – not political indifference,” the joint statement read.

The arrests come as mounting evidence continues to emerge of systematic war crimes committed by Israeli forces, including mass killings, starvation tactics, targeting of hospitals, and the destruction of essential civilian infrastructure in Gaza. International outrage has intensified in recent months as the death toll in the besieged enclave surpasses 38,000, with the majority being women and children.

The HRF, named in memory of 6-year-old Hind Rajab who was deliberately targeted and killed by Israeli forces earlier this year after being trapped in a car with her dead relatives, has been actively pursuing legal avenues across Europe to ensure that Israeli military officials are held to account.

Human rights advocates across Europe have applauded Belgium’s decision to exercise universal jurisdiction, a legal principle that allows countries to prosecute individuals for the gravest crimes – including war crimes and crimes against humanity – regardless of where they were committed.

The development also comes amid growing calls from civil society and international legal scholars for European governments to halt arms sales to Israel, impose sanctions, and take concrete legal steps to end the impunity long enjoyed by the occupying regime.

For Palestinians and justice advocates worldwide, the arrests in Belgium represent a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape of global inaction and complicity. As investigations proceed, the international community will be watching closely to see whether Belgium will lead by example in confronting war crimes with the moral and legal urgency they demand. (ILKHA)