Former IDF Soldiers Detail Rules of Engagement in Gaza

The soldiers, who were released from active duty, confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces have operated with total freedom of action since October. One soldier identified as B explained that if troops feel a sense of threat, they do not hesitate to fire at a person’s center of mass, regardless of whether the individual is armed or poses a confirmed danger. Another reservist admitted that gunfire was sometimes used simply to blow off steam or address the monotony of daily routines, including shooting at abandoned buildings or into the sea.

Beyond indiscriminate fire, the report details the routine destruction of civilian homes. Yuval Green, a former member of the 55th Paratroopers Brigade, testified that troops were ordered to burn down occupied houses for operational convenience, leaving families homeless. The investigation also notes that soldiers were instructed to conceal civilian corpses from international aid groups. Analysts suggest these accounts reflect a broader pattern of impunity, with Yael Berda of the Middle East Initiative stating that the testimony likely represents only a fraction of the reality regarding the military's conduct in the territory.