Testimonies reveal an almost total absence of regulations, with soldiers firing at will, looting, burning houses and leaving corpses in the streets with the permission of commanders.
By: Marcel
The alternative and independent newspapers 972 Magazine and Local Call published a series of testimonies from Israeli soldiers on July 8, 2024. The reports reveal the almost total absence of regulations during the invasion in Gaza. The Israeli army allows, in practice, soldiers to shoot at will, loot and burn Palestinian homes and leave dead bodies in the streets. These interviews were conducted by the newspapers themselves.
Six sources – all but one of whom spoke on condition of anonymity – described how Israeli soldiers executed Palestinian civilians who entered areas defined by the army as “no-go zones.” The statements portray a scenario of rampant violence.
“There is total freedom of action,” said B., a soldier who served in Gaza. “If there is a sense of threat, it just goes off.” B. also mentioned that the policy allowed anyone to be shot, regardless of age or gender.
S., a reservist, revealed that “people wanted to live the action,” and described how soldiers would shoot for no reason, just to relieve boredom. He also noted that commanders encouraged “demonstration of presence,” i.e., firing shots in seemingly uninhabited areas to scare off anyone who might be hiding.
M., another reservist, reported that firing orders came directly from commanders and that the practice of firing indiscriminately was common, including with machine guns, tanks and mortars.
Yuval Green, the only soldier who agreed to be identified, described an incident during the Hanukkah festival when the entire battalion opened fire as if the weapons were fireworks. A “festival of lights” in reverse, which, instead of celebrating the victory of the Maccabees in the face of colonial oppression, celebrated the colonization of the Palestinians.
C., another soldier, spoke of the risk of friendly fire due to the lack of shooting regulations. “On several occasions, IDF forces fired in our direction,” he said.
Israel vehemently denies allegations of war crimes, but these testimonies provide new evidence that reinforces accusations of indiscriminate violence against Palestinian civilians. These practices, if proven, violate international conventions on war and human rights.
The reality in Gaza is alarming and reveals a brutality that defies our humanity. For a more detailed understanding of the context and implications of these acts, we recommend reading the text Palestine: Six Months of Genocide and Resistance, which provides a comprehensive overview of the conflict and military actions in the region.
