Israeli soldiers admit to targeting civilians in Gaza, labeling them as “terrorists”
The Israeli army reinforces its ground forces as military mobility continues in Golan Heights, Israel on December 9, 2024. (AA Photo)
Israeli soldiers operating in Gaza have admitted to targeting Palestinian civilians and later labeling them as “terrorists,” according to a report published by Israel’s Haaretz newspaper.
The report reveals testimonies from Israeli soldiers who described the military’s practices in Gaza, raising serious concerns about the treatment of civilians during the ongoing conflict.
Outdated target lists and civilian risk in Gaza
Soldiers disclosed that structures in Gaza, identified as “terrorist houses” or gathering points for enemy forces, were bombed but remained listed as active targets. This practice endangered civilians who unknowingly entered these buildings.
“The army does not regularly update its target lists in Gaza. Soldiers on the ground are not informed about buildings that are no longer used by armed individuals. As a result, civilians entering such locations are subjected to attacks and, once killed, are classified as terrorists,” the soldiers stated.
An unnamed senior officer detailed specific orders for operations in the Netzarim Corridor, a key area dividing Gaza. The officer claimed that military instructions stated: “Any person entering a building in the corridor, regardless of their identity, would be shot.”
The officer added, “Once a building is marked as an active target, it remains so indefinitely, even if the armed individual inside was killed months ago.”
Another officer serving in the 252nd Division admitted to targeting civilians under loose engagement rules. “The division’s authority to kill extended to anyone within a sniper’s range. Civilians were killed and then categorized as terrorists,” the officer revealed.
The soldier also noted a troubling competition among military units regarding kill counts. “If one division reported killing 150 people, another aimed to surpass that by targeting 200.”
Civilian death toll surge in Gaza
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023. The report noted that the ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and the numbers only account for those confirmed dead in hospitals
Haaretz highlighted that the true death toll is likely much higher, with over 10,000 people believed to be trapped under rubble.
While Israeli authorities have expressed skepticism toward the figures released by Gaza’s Health Ministry, they have not provided detailed data on civilian casualties. The military estimates that of those killed in Gaza, approximately 14,000 were armed individuals, with only 3,000 confirmed as such.
The report also detailed Israeli airstrikes on Gaza’s southern al-Mawasi region, which had been designated as a “safe” area for displaced civilians. Heavy bombardments targeted the region, killing dozens of people in areas that had become makeshift camps for hundreds of thousands seeking refuge.
The testimonies from Israeli soldiers and the rising civilian death toll have raised urgent questions about the rules of engagement and accountability in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
