AhlulBayt News Agency: In the immediate aftermath of signing a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, Israeli soldiers launched a wave of arson, targeting civilian homes and infrastructure in Gaza.
According to Drop Site News, Israeli forces ignited fires in food storage facilities, residential buildings, and a vital sewage treatment plant in Gaza City during the night of October 9 and early hours of October 10.
The report identified soldiers from various Israeli brigades who shared numerous photos and videos showing buildings ablaze as they retreated from Gaza City to the “yellow line” outlined in the ceasefire deal, which remains within Gaza’s borders.
On Sunday, a soldier from the Kfir Brigade posted an image of himself standing before burning wooden pallets, captioned: “On Friday, just before departure. Burning food so that it won’t reach the Gazans, may their names be erased.”
Other Israeli troops posted images of scorched homes in different areas, with captions reflecting on the destruction. One soldier referred to the burning of homes as the “finishing touches.”
Palestinian homes set ablaze also became a platform for soldiers to express their thoughts on Israel’s future in Gaza. Some expressed relief at leaving, writing messages like: “Goodbye and never to be seen again to [what was] my home recently.”
Others hinted at returning, with one soldier likening the experience to a hotel stay: “It was brief but high quality [stay], we shall come back.”
Local residents documented the aftermath upon returning to their neighborhoods. Many of the burned homes had remained intact only because they were previously used by Israeli forces as staging grounds.
Before departing, Israeli troops also set fire to the Sheikh Ajlin Sewage Treatment Station, a key component of Gaza City’s sanitation system.
Soldiers posted photos in front of the burning facility, with one caption reading “[One] last memory.”
Monther Shoblaq, Director General of the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), warned that the destruction could cripple Gaza’s wastewater infrastructure, saying it may take years to rebuild.
“They signed a ceasefire,” Shoblaq said. “Why set it on fire?”
The destruction of Palestinian property after its use by Israeli soldiers has been a recurring pattern over the past two years.
However, the scale of this latest arson was reportedly more severe than any previously documented incidents since October 2023.
In July, Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham published testimonies from soldiers detailing various arson techniques.
One soldier described: “Every Arab house we entered had olive oil [...] We poured the oil on the sofas, on anything flammable in the apartment, and then we ignited [it] or threw in a smoke grenade. This was a common practice.” /129
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