Key points
- IDF soldiers confirm use of human shields
- Military rabbis justify mass demolitions and violence
- Political and religious leaders influenced soldiers’ mindset
LONDON: Israeli soldiers have revealed that they were given freedom to shoot at their discretion in Gaza, exposing a disregard for the laws of war in a new documentary set to air on UK public television.
The film, Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel’s War, features rare firsthand testimonies from Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, who describe lawless conduct during the Gaza conflict, according to The Guardian.
“If you want to shoot without restraint, you can,” said Daniel, a commander of an IDF tank unit, in the documentary. Other soldiers, identified only by their first names, also confirmed the IDF’s use of human shields, known as the “mosquito protocol,” contradicting official denials.
They also recounted incidents of Israeli troops opening fire unprovoked on civilians rushing to food aid points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, supported by the US and Israel.
Discretion of the commander
One soldier described how the decision to open fire was left to the discretion of the commander, saying, “Life and death isn’t determined by procedures or opening fire regulations. It’s the conscience of the commander on the ground that decides.”
Soldiers also explained how they arbitrarily deemed civilians as suspicious: “If they’re walking too fast, they’re suspicious. If they’re walking too slow, they’re suspicious. They’re plotting something.”
One incident involved a senior officer ordering a tank to destroy a building marked as safe for civilians, after seeing a man hanging laundry. The strike killed several people. According to the Gaza Health Authority, over 69,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023, the majority of whom were civilians.
Promoting genocidal mindsets
Some soldiers said they were influenced by political and religious leaders who framed all Palestinians as legitimate targets after Hamas’ October 7 attacks. Daniel recalled hearing Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s claim that “an entire nation out there is responsible” for the attacks, which led soldiers to believe it.
Military rabbis also promoted genocidal mindsets, with one rabbi justifying mass demolitions. A striking claim in the documentary is the use of human shields, forced to navigate Hamas tunnels while wearing vests with GPS trackers — a tactic known as the “mosquito protocol.”
The IDF has denied using human shields, stating that allegations are “thoroughly examined” and that investigations are ongoing.
