Killing as ‘Routine’ in Gaza: Soldiers Describe Shooting Palestinians ‘for Pleasure’
Israeli soldiers told AP that deadly shootings continued throughout the Gaza ceasefire, with permissive engagement rules along buffer zones.
Key Developments
- Israeli reservists told the Associated Press that soldiers routinely fired on Palestinians approaching or crossing Gaza’s ‘yellow line’ during the ceasefire.
- Israeli soldiers described permissive rules of engagement, confusion over ceasefire implementation, and commanders prioritizing territorial control.
- Human rights advocates warned that civilians may have been killed for crossing poorly marked or invisible boundaries.
‘It Was a Jungle’
Israeli reservists who served in Gaza after the October ceasefire told the Associated Press that shootings of Palestinians near the Israeli-controlled buffer zone continued throughout the truce, despite public portrayals of reduced hostilities.
One combat soldier said troops were instructed to open fire on anyone crossing the so-called yellow line separating Israeli-controlled and Palestinian-held areas.
One of the most striking revelations in the Associated Press investigation came from an Israeli reservist who described fellow soldiers celebrating after attacks on Palestinians near Gaza’s buffer zone.
The soldier said troops shouted in celebration and congratulated one another after a vehicle carrying Palestinians was struck near the Israeli-controlled area of the Gaza Strip, killing everyone inside. He added that such scenes became common during his deployment after the October ceasefire took effect.
“It was a jungle,” the soldier told AP. “After the ceasefire, the order was: If someone crosses the line, you shoot them.”
Ambiguous Boundaries
The so-called yellow line was established after Israeli forces withdrew to a designated buffer zone under the ceasefire agreement. However, Israeli occupation soldiers told AP that the boundary was often poorly marked or difficult to identify.
In some locations, the line was marked by yellow barrels or blocks. In others, soldiers said, there were no visible indicators at all.
One reservist said commanders dismissed concerns about clearly marking the line, arguing that Palestinians should already know where it was located.
The AP reported that more than 900 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, including dozens killed near or beyond the yellow line, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
‘Shoot to Kill’ Environment
The Israeli soldiers described what they viewed as highly permissive rules of engagement.
One soldier said troops were often required to make rapid targeting decisions with limited information, relying on rough coordinates or assumptions about a person’s location.
The Israeli veterans’ organization Breaking the Silence echoed those concerns. The group said testimonies collected from soldiers indicate that rules of engagement near the buffer zone effectively amounted to “shoot to kill” policies in some sectors.
According to interview notes reviewed by AP, one soldier described receiving instructions to “eliminate” anyone crossing the line.
Breaking the Silence Executive Director Nadav Weiman argued that military policies had created conditions in which civilians were being killed for crossing poorly defined boundaries.
‘Human Lives Not Valuable’
The reservists interviewed by AP repeatedly challenged the characterization of the situation as a ceasefire.
One soldier said commanders publicly referenced the agreement while privately signaling expectations of a prolonged military presence inside Gaza.
Another described a prevailing atmosphere in which force protection and territorial control outweighed concern for civilian lives.
“There was a general feeling that human lives are not valuable,” he said.
The soldiers also said they increasingly believed Israel intended to remain in large parts of Gaza indefinitely rather than carry out a complete withdrawal envisioned under the ceasefire framework.
Growing Israeli Control
The testimonies come as Israeli officials signal plans to expand territorial control inside Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that Israeli forces currently control approximately 60 percent of the territory and that the next objective is to increase that figure to 70 percent.
Meanwhile, an internal humanitarian assessment reviewed by AP reportedly concluded that Israeli military actions have become “increasingly proactive” in recent months.
Data cited by the report showed that deaths near the yellow line increased significantly between January and April.
“We need to stop using (the) term (ceasefire),” one soldier said. “It’s not serving people that want to stop the war.”
(PC, AP)