Open fire on “anyone who enters:” Top Israeli newspaper exposes IDF indiscriminate attacks on Palestinian civilians
Troops of the 98th Division operate in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, in a handout photo released December 6, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)
A report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz has sparked controversy, accusing the Israeli defence forces of indiscriminate killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza’s Netzarim Corridor.
The report, based on testimonies from unnamed soldiers, career officers, and reservists, claims commanders were granted unprecedented authority to operate in the region, leading to severe human rights violations.
The soldiers alleged that commanders had ordered or condoned the killing of unarmed civilians, including women and children, in the seven-kilometer-wide strip of land that spans Gaza from Israel to the Mediterranean.
One officer recounted a commander overstating militant casualties, claiming 200 militants were killed when only 10 were confirmed as Hamas operatives. Soldiers also reported orders to fire on “anyone who enters” the corridor, with one battalion commander quoted as saying, “Everyone’s a terrorist.”
The report further accused division commanders of being granted expanded powers to bomb buildings and authorize air strikes without prior approval from senior army officials. A specific commander, Brig. Gen. Yehuda Vach, was implicated in driving operations with alleged political motives, reportedly stating, “There are no innocents in Gaza.”
Hamas responded by calling the allegations evidence of “unprecedented war crimes” and urged international bodies to intervene.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has rejected the allegations, insisting that all operations in Gaza are conducted according to structured combat procedures and ethical standards.
The army stated that any incidents of concern are thoroughly examined. Brig. Gen. Vach also denied making the statements attributed to him, calling the claims baseless.
The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 45,129, with 107,338 others injured, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. The victims are mainly women and children who are not actively involved in the war.
South Africa, it would be recalled, dragged Israel to the International Court of Justice for violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in its military assault on Gaza.
The offensive has destroyed large parts of the Palestinian enclave and led to massive population displacements.
The lack of access to international humanitarian aid is also causing famine to threaten Gaza, according to UN reports. On 24 May, the Court ordered Israel to “immediately cease its military offensive” in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza. So far, Israel has not complied with this ruling.
