IntelScoops

Gaza City – August 3, 2025 — A former Israeli combat soldier has come forward with disturbing testimony, alleging that his unit received explicit orders to kill anyone entering restricted buffer zones in Gaza, regardless of whether they were armed or posed a threat.

Speaking to international media under anonymity due to fear of reprisal, the reservist described a military culture that normalized indiscriminate violence, especially following the loss of Israeli soldiers in combat. “The instructions were clear: anyone who enters dies,” he said. “It didn’t matter if it was a woman, a child, or someone waving a white flag.”

The buffer zones, which were implemented by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in key conflict areas within Gaza, were presented to soldiers as “kill zones,” according to the soldier’s account. Entry into these zones by any Gazan — even unintentionally — was treated as an act of aggression.

The soldier’s testimony also indicated a breakdown in command restraint during operations. “Once we had casualties on our side, everything changed. There was rage. The mood became: shoot first, ask nothing later,” he said. “We weren’t trained to check bags — we were trained to eliminate whoever was in the zone.”

This account adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting systemic violations of international humanitarian law during Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza. Human rights groups, including Breaking the Silence — an organization of Israeli army veterans — have documented similar claims from dozens of soldiers, citing unlawful use of force, lack of clear engagement protocols, and disregard for civilian safety.

More than 50,000 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have reportedly been killed since late 2023, with casualty figures steadily rising amid continued operations. Israel maintains that it targets only Hamas militants and takes steps to minimize civilian harm. However, testimonies like this suggest otherwise.

International legal observers are calling for an urgent independent investigation. “If proven, these orders could constitute grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions,” said a senior official affiliated with a European human rights watchdog. “They go far beyond the acceptable bounds of self-defence.”

The IDF has not directly responded to the latest testimony but reiterated that its soldiers operate under strict codes of conduct. Nonetheless, domestic dissent is reportedly growing, with some Israeli soldiers refusing to rejoin active duty, citing moral objections to their orders.

As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, and eyewitness accounts from soldiers begin to emerge, pressure is mounting on the Israeli government to provide clarity on its rules of engagement and to allow transparent external oversight.

Whether such calls will lead to accountability remains uncertain — but for the growing number of civilians affected by the conflict, the consequences are tragically clear.