Israeli Soldiers Disclose Systematic Killing of Civilians in Gaza ‘Kill Zone’
Members of the Israel Defense Forces, including commanders, soldiers, and veterans, revealed the existence of a designated “kill zone” within the Gaza Strip, where orders are issued to shoot “anyone who enters.” These disclosures contribute to the mounting evidence of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by IDF forces during their 441-day campaign in the Palestinian region.
This week, Haaretz, the oldest newspaper in Israel, published testimonies from unnamed IDF personnel who were commanded to kill unarmed individuals, including men, women, children, and elderly people, in the Netzarim Corridor. This area, a few miles wide, slices through Gaza from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea just below Gaza City.
“A term used among our forces for this area is ‘the line of dead bodies,'” a commander from Division 252 disclosed to Haaretz. “Following shootings, the bodies are left uncollected, attracting groups of dogs that feed on them. In Gaza, it’s commonly understood that the presence of these dogs indicates a place to avoid.”
A high-ranking officer in that division explained to the newspaper that “the area was declared a ‘kill zone’ by the division commander. Anyone who enters is targeted immediately.”
A veteran from Division 252 mentioned, “The scope of the kill zone is as far as a sniper’s visibility. We’re ending lives of civilians who are then labeled as terrorists. Announcements about casualty figures by the IDF spokesperson have made this into a gruesome competition among units. If Division 99 eliminates 150, the next aims for 200.”
Another commander from Division 252 pointed out that of 200 “militants” supposedly eliminated by one unit, “only 10 were actually confirmed as identified Hamas members. Nevertheless, the exaggerated claims of killing hundreds of militants went unchallenged.”
A senior reserve commander claimed, “Proclaiming ourselves as the world’s most moral army justifies the actions of soldiers who are fully aware of their deeds.”
He further added, “This means overlooking the fact that for more than a year, we have been operating in an environment devoid of law, where human life is worthless. Yes, we, both commanders and soldiers, are active participants in the atrocities occurring in Gaza. It’s time everyone acknowledged this reality.”
Another recount from a Division 252 veteran detailed an incident when “guards noticed someone approaching” which “prompted a response as if it was a major militant assault.”
“We took our positions and started firing. I’m talking about dozens of bullets, maybe more,” he continued. “We kept shooting at the body for a minute or two, while people around me were both shooting and laughing.”
The soldier added:
We moved closer to the blood-soaked body, took photos, and grabbed the phone. He was just a boy, around 16. That evening, our battalion commander praised us for eliminating a terrorist and expressed his hope that we would kill 10 more the next day. When it was suggested he was unarmed and looked like a civilian, everyone was shouted down. The commander stated: ‘Anyone crossing the line is a terrorist, no exceptions, no civilians. They are all terrorists.’ This deeply disturbed me—did I leave my home to sleep in a rat-infested building to shoot unarmed individuals?
A reservist from Division 99 described witnessing a drone video feed showing “an adult with two children crossing the forbidden zone.”
“We had full surveillance over them with the drone and weapons aimed at them—they were powerless,” he recounted. “Then a sudden large explosion occurred. A combat helicopter had launched a missile at them. Who can justify firing a missile at children, and from a helicopter no less? This is sheer malevolence.”
Soldiers from Division 252 recalled the initial address by Brig. Gen. Yehuda Vach, who took command of the unit last summer. According to one veteran, Vach told the troops, “There are no innocents in Gaza.”
“To achieve victory in the Middle East, one must continue to conquer territory,” Vach was quoted by the witness. “We must keep conquering until we triumph.”
Vach was reportedly fixated on implementing the so-called Generals’ Plan, aimed at the starvation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from northern Gaza and sought to forcibly displace 250,000 individuals from the region.
In response to the Haaretz report, the IDF issued a statement asserting that “strikes are targeted solely at military objectives, and numerous measures are taken to minimize harm to noncombatants.”
However, the testimonies collected by Haaretz align with other accounts from IDF soldiers and veterans, as well as Palestinian survivors, witnesses, and international medical staff working in Gaza.
Earlier this year, South Africa—currently leading a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice—submitted an emergency request to the tribunal citing “testimonies from Israeli soldiers serving in Gaza that describe evacuation zones as ‘extermination zones’ where all remaining Palestinians are deemed legitimate targets.”
American trauma surgeons who volunteered at the European Hospital in Khan Younis reported “horrifying violence deliberately aimed at civilians,” including “a 3-year-old boy shot in the head, a 12-year-old girl shot through the chest, and an ICU nurse shot through the abdomen, all by some of the world’s most skilled sharpshooters.”
Palestinian survivors have shared stories of IDF troops or drones killing young children and individuals waving white flags. Rescue workers and journalists trying to document these events have also been killed.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 107,000 others injured since Israel initiated the war on Gaza in retaliation for the October 7, 2023, attack led by Hamas.
On Thursday, international organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières and Human Rights Watch, along with United Nations experts, rights groups including Amnesty International, numerous national governments, and a vast array of academics, jurists, and others have accused Israel of committing acts of genocide or outright genocide in Gaza.
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