AhlulBayt News Agency: An Israeli soldier has revealed that troops in Gaza are instructed to indiscriminately shoot any Palestinian crossing “imaginary lines,” including unarmed civilians.
In an interview with Sky News, the Israeli reservist explained, “We have a territory that we are in, and the commands are: everyone that comes inside needs to die.”
He added, “If they’re inside, they’re dangerous—you need to kill them. No matter who it is,” speaking anonymously due to security concerns.
Describing incidents of arbitrary killings, he said, “In one of the houses where we were stationed, there was a border close to a civilian neighborhood. Commanders claimed Gazans knew they weren’t allowed to cross this imaginary line.”
He questioned the logic of such expectations, saying, “But how can they know?”
He confirmed that anyone crossing into these undefined zones was typically shot.
Reflecting on his unit’s time at the Netzarim Corridor, he stated, “Pretty much anyone who entered, even a teenager on a bicycle, was considered a threat.”
He acknowledged that many of those shot were poor civilians with no real options.
According to his account, the rules of engagement were vague and varied by commander.
“They might be shot, they might be captured. It really depends on the day, the mood of the commander,” he said.
He recounted an incident where one man was shot for crossing the line, while another approaching the body was merely captured. Hours later, orders changed, and anyone in sight was to be shot.
Stressing the urgency for the war to end, he confessed, “I feel like I took part in something bad. I need to counter it with something good by speaking out because I'm still troubled by what I participated in.”
Israel’s offensive on Gaza began on October 7, 2023. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 57,523 Palestinians have been killed so far.
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