The Israeli opposition magazine “972” published a report featuring testimonies from Israeli soldiers about the near-total absence of rules of engagement in the Gaza war. Soldiers described shooting at will, setting fire to homes, and leaving the bodies of martyrs in the streets with their commanders’ approval.
The magazine, in a report translated by “Arabi21,” mentioned that Al Jazeera aired a series of shocking videos in early June, described as “field executions.” These videos showed Israeli soldiers shooting unarmed Palestinians walking near Gaza’s coastal road on three separate occasions. The Palestinians appeared unarmed and posed no imminent threat to the soldiers.
Such footage is rare due to strict restrictions on journalists in the besieged area and the constant threat to their lives. However, these executions align with testimonies from six Israeli soldiers who spoke to 972+ and Local Call after their recent discharge from active service in Gaza. They described how they were allowed to shoot Palestinians with nearly no restrictions, including civilians.
The magazine reported that the six Israeli soldiers, who spoke mostly anonymously except for one, recounted how Israeli soldiers routinely executed Palestinian civilians simply for entering areas the army classified as “restricted zones.” Their testimonies depict an area littered with civilian bodies left to decompose or be eaten by stray animals, only hidden from view before international aid convoys arrived to avoid showing images of advanced decomposition. Two soldiers testified to the systematic policy of setting Palestinian homes on fire after seizing them.
The magazine described how unrestricted shooting served as a way for soldiers to relieve stress or boredom. A reserve soldier who served in northern Gaza admitted to firing shots aimlessly at the sea, pavement, or abandoned buildings, referring to this as “natural firing,” a code for shooting out of boredom.
Since the 1980s, the Israeli military has refused to disclose its rules of engagement despite numerous petitions to the Supreme Court. According to political sociologist Yagil Levy, since the Second Intifada, the Israeli military hasn’t provided written engagement rules, leaving much to the interpretation of soldiers and their commanders. This lenient approach contributed to the deaths of over 38,000 Palestinians and was also partly responsible for the high number of soldiers killed by friendly fire in recent months.
The magazine quoted another soldier who served in Gaza for several months, including in his battalion’s command center, saying there was complete freedom to act. If there was even a hint of threat, there was no need for explanation—just shoot. Soldiers were allowed to shoot anyone, from a young girl to an elderly woman.
This soldier recounted an incident in November when soldiers killed several civilians during an evacuation of a school in Gaza City’s Zaytoun neighborhood, used as a shelter for displaced Palestinians. The army ordered evacuees to move left toward the sea instead of right, where soldiers were stationed. When a firefight broke out inside the school, anyone who moved right amid the chaos was shot, resulting in 15 to 20 deaths, including children.
The magazine highlighted the difficulty of distinguishing between civilians and fighters in Gaza, as Hamas members often “move without their weapons.” Consequently, every man aged 16 to 50 was suspected of being a terrorist. Soldiers fired at anyone looking out from a window, perceiving any interaction with civilians as a threat.
Even in seemingly uninhabited or abandoned areas of Gaza, soldiers engaged in heavy firing to “show presence.” A reserve soldier described how his colleagues fired frequently, even without cause, aiming to drive people out of hiding or to show presence.
Another reserve soldier explained that these orders came directly from battalion commanders in the field, leading to unlimited and frenzied shooting, not just with small arms but also with machine guns, tanks, and mortars. This soldier recalled hearing over the radio how a soldier at a guard post shot at a Palestinian family walking nearby, resulting in the deaths of a man, woman, and two children.
Only one of the six interviewed soldiers, 26-year-old reserve soldier Yuval Green from Jerusalem, agreed to reveal his identity. He served in the 55th Paratrooper Brigade during November and December and recently signed a letter with 41 other reservists refusing further service in Gaza. Green confirmed that there were no ammunition restrictions, with soldiers firing to alleviate boredom.
Green described an incident during the Hanukkah festival in December when the entire battalion fired together like fireworks, including flares. Another soldier recounted how soldiers contacted each other via radio to clarify if there were any other Israeli units in the area before opening fire. The lack of shooting restrictions meant soldiers often faced significant friendly fire risks, which were more dangerous than Hamas. On several occasions, Israeli forces fired in their direction, and although they did not retaliate, they checked via radio and confirmed no one was hit.
At the time of writing, the magazine reported that 324 Israeli soldiers had been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began, with at least 28 of these deaths attributed to friendly fire according to the military. Green stated that friendly fire incidents were the main danger to soldiers’ lives, with so much friendly fire driving him “crazy.”
Green noted that the rules of engagement also showed a deep indifference to the fate of hostages. He recounted a practice of tunnel demolition, wondering if hostages inside would be killed. After soldiers in Shuja’iyya killed three hostages carrying white flags in December, mistakenly thinking they were Palestinians, Green was angry but was told, “We can’t do anything.” Commanders heightened alertness and sensitivity but emphasized the need to remain vigilant in combat zones.
Another soldier confirmed that even after the Shuja’iyya mistake, which was said to be “against orders,” the rules of engagement did not change. For hostages, there were no specific instructions. The soldier and his colleagues only learned about the shooting of hostages two and a half weeks after the incident. Green heard from other soldiers that hostages were considered lost causes and should be abandoned. This realization, coupled with the assertion that the war was harming hostages, reinforced his belief that the war was counterproductive.
The enjoyment of destroying buildings
The magazine reported on two soldiers who described how burning Palestinian homes became common practice among Israeli soldiers. Green witnessed two such instances, one initiated by a soldier and the other by command orders, contributing to his eventual refusal to continue military service.
When soldiers occupied homes, Green explained that the policy was to burn the house upon leaving. However, this didn’t make sense to him, as these homes served a practical purpose. Destroying them left multiple families homeless.
Another soldier described how soldiers would gather mattresses, furniture, and blankets before leaving, and with fuel or gas cylinders, they would burn the house easily like an oven. Sometimes, soldiers on upper floors had to flee through the flames or suffocate from the smoke.
Green emphasized the unimaginable destruction the army caused in Gaza. At the beginning of the fighting, soldiers advanced between homes 50 meters apart, treating them like souvenir shops, looting what the residents couldn’t take. Soldiers used found items such as mattresses and food, and one even found and kept a 100-shekel note (about $27).
Green recounted, “We destroyed everything we wanted to destroy. This wasn’t out of a desire to destroy but due to complete indifference toward everything Palestinian. Every day, a D-9 bulldozer would demolish houses. I didn’t take before-and-after pictures, but I will never forget how a beautiful neighborhood…”
The magazine highlighted the widespread indifference among soldiers toward Palestinian property and lives, with soldiers often using homes and possessions for personal amusement, reflecting the deep-seated disregard for Palestinian humanity in the conflict.
