Canada’s federal police have confirmed that they have launched a war crimes investigation connected to the Israel-Hamas War, but are revealing little about its scope or objectives, the police announced in a statement shared with The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s investigation began quietly in early 2024 and involves a “broad, intelligence-led intake process designed to collect, preserve, and assess information potentially relevant under Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act,” the police said.

The statement added that the process mainly involves open-source data gathering and “voluntary submissions from individuals wishing to provide information.”

They continued by vaguely stating that the primary objective is to “proactively collect relevant information that may support future investigative steps, should jurisdictional and legal thresholds be met.”

The RCMP statement, however, went to great lengths to emphasize that “a structural investigation is not a criminal investigation,” and that, to date, the RCMP have never initiated any related criminal investigations.

IDF soldiers approach the building where former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was hiding before his death in Rafah, Gaza Strip. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
IDF soldiers approach the building where former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was hiding before his death in Rafah, Gaza Strip. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Investigation receives no formal announcement, public engagement

However, they said that “should a perpetrator of core international crimes – such as genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity – with the appropriate nexus to Canada be identified, the RCMP will initiate a separate criminal investigation.”

The probe has not been publicly promoted – an approach that contrasts sharply with Canada’s investigative response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The RCMP explained that the relative quietude is due to it not having fully developed “essential supporting operational tools” including “a secure online portal available in French, English, Hebrew, and Arabic, to facilitate the structured and secure any submissions of information by the public and potential witnesses.”

It blamed “technical challenges” for the delay in the rollout of the online system, and said “once this online portal is ready for access, we will advise the public.”

However, the Justice Department told The Toronto Star on Monday that the “program is intended to deny safe haven to war criminals and seek accountability for alleged atrocities.”

The RCMP asked that the public refrain from “drawing premature conclusions about the RCMP’s role or intent.”

Both Canadian and Israeli media have speculated that the police plan a criminal investigation into several IDF soldiers who also hold Canadian citizenship, on suspicion of crimes against humanity.

Director of Research and Advocacy at B’nai Brith Canada, Richard Robertson, told the Post that “if our government is investigating any links between Canadians and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, they must focus their investigation on the atrocities committed by Hamas during the October 7 terror attack and the events following the October 7 terror attack.

“Any investigation into the IDF by the Canadian government is a disingenuous affront to the relationship with Canada’s ally,” he said, adding that Ottawa should be focusing its efforts on combating Hamas and other groups listed as proscribed terror organizations in Canada.

Robertson added that it is “imperative that the RCMP provide additional information to the public about the scope and nature of the investigation.”

The Canadian public has a right to know if the RCMP are investigating the actions of the IDF in its efforts to defeat Hamas, a listed terror entity in Canada, he said.

Unlike the agency’s Ukraine-related war crimes probe – which included a public hotline, media interviews, airport signage, and online outreach – the Israel-Hamas War investigation has received no formal announcement or public engagement campaign.

Structural investigations such as this one are described as wide-ranging, fact-finding efforts that focus on alleged crimes committed during a particular conflict. These investigations rarely lead to criminal trials in Canadian courts but are designed to address a particular conflict to preserve evidence and share findings with other authorities when appropriate.

The launch of the RCMP’s probe comes amid intensifying political friction between Canada and Israel. In recent months, Canada joined the United Kingdom and France in condemning the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and threatening targeted sanctions. Ottawa has also publicly opposed Israel’s proposed authorization of new settlements in the West Bank and criticized restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza.

According to a recent Justice Department statement, structural investigations may be initiated when there is evidence of war crimes and a sizeable immigrant community in Canada that could potentially provide testimony or evidence.

While the RCMP have publicized investigations into other global conflicts – including crimes against the Yazidi population in Syria and the war in Ukraine – it has not offered similar transparency or outreach regarding the Israel-Hamas War.

Independent UN reports have accused both Hamas and Israel of committing war crimes since the beginning of the war. Nonetheless, the RCMP have reiterated that every investigation requires a tailored approach and techniques that cannot be universally applied.