Israeli soldiers arrested in Belgium after war crimes complaint by rights groups
A statement by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) said the pair were in the country to attend a music festival and that legal proceedings were ongoing.
"The suspects were identified and arrested with a clear show of force at the Tomorrowland festival in Boom," HRF said on Monday.
"After being taken into custody, they were formally interrogated and released. The Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office has confirmed that a criminal investigation is now underway."
The complaint was filed last week by HRF and the Global Legal Action Network (Glan).
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"This development is a significant step forward," the two groups said.
"It signals that Belgium has recognised its jurisdiction under international law and is treating the allegations with the seriousness they deserve.
"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."
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He noted that a kilogram of flour cost him 140 shekels (around $41.70), forcing the family to survive on basic foodstuffs such as lentils and rice. Among his children are two young boys, Mohammad, aged two, and Nouriddeen, six, both suffering from malnutrition, with symptoms including severe diarrhoea and vomiting. "I lost five kilograms - imagine what's happened to my little boy. He look like a skeleton," Sheesh said. Palestinians killed in the Israel attack on civilians on Sunday in north Gaza (MEE/Mohammed al-Hajjar) Ewadi, who is supporting 15 relatives, said they currently have no food staples at all, adding that the last time he ate bread was two months ago. He made the journey to the Sudaniya area eight times before in an effort to obtain humanitarian aid, but was only successful twice. "Last time, we couldn't get anything," he said. "This time, praise be to God, we managed to secure 11 kilograms of flour," Ewadi said, estimating it would last his family just four days. Armed gangs Once aid is secured, it is still not guaranteed that it will make it back home. Many challenges await, including escaping death and looting. Ewadi recalled how some of those who managed to get food supplies were stopped by armed looters on the way, and had their packages stolen. Sheesh faced a similar fate, saying a bag of flour was once stolen from him by a group of youth. Eyewitnesses indicate that Israeli troops and military vehicles surrounded relief-seekers, directly and indiscriminately shooting towards them, killing and wounded Palestinians (MEE/Mohammed al-Hajjar) Ehab al-Zein, who was also a witness to the Sunday attack, said the severe hunger and thirst people are experiencing is forcing them to risk their lives at these so-called humanitarian aid distribution points. Frustrated, he told MEE that it had been over a week, possibly two, since he last had access to flour. "What can we do? We are running towards death just to get a kilogram of flour. And even then, it doesn't always work. Sometimes we come back with nothing. We die, and return home empty-handed. 'Only God knows how I made it out alive. It took a hundred miracles' - Ehab al-Zein, Palestinian father "I've never actually managed to get anything before. This time was a blessing from God. I saw death with my own two eyes and somehow came back alive." Zein said he is responsible for providing for 20 family members, including his parents, sisters, his late brother's two children, his own wife, and children. "Only God knows what I'm going through." He says he won't return to the distribution point again. "I will die from hunger. What else can I do? Go there to be killed? I'm not going back. Let the children die of hunger, it's better than watching them die like this. "For an hour and a half I endured bullets flying over my head, shelling, and shooting. "Only God knows how I made it out alive. It took a hundred miracles."
