Israeli soldiers recount civilian killings and relaxed rules in Gaza

Israeli soldiers recount killing unarmed civilians and mislabeling them as combatants in Gaza.

Ten Israeli reservists and intelligence personnel have detailed how troops killed unarmed Palestinian civilians and systematically logged them as combatants. The testimonies reveal loosened targeting thresholds, widespread destruction to prevent returns, and retrospective justifications for casualties. While military officials disputed these accounts, the revelations shed light on internal conduct during the conflict.

• The casualtiesOne reservist reported that his brigade killed up to 170 people over 80 days, with only a single individual suspected of bearing arms.
• The justificationPersonnel described a practice of post-mortem incrimination to portray dead civilians and targeted journalists as militants.
• The tacticsDrone and intelligence operators noted loosened restrictions that permitted strikes despite the presence of numerous potential civilian victims.