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Hundreds of Palestinians indiscriminately shot dead by Israeli soldiers in Gaza 'kill zone'

Soldiers' testimony describes children being shot in central Gaza and posthumously branded 'terrorists'
People look for survivors following an Israeli strike on a home in Gaza City on 19 December (AFP/Omar Al-Qattaa)

Hundreds of Palestinians, including children, have been indiscriminately shot dead by Israeli soldiers in a "kill zone" established in central Gaza, according to a new investigation.

Soldiers told Haaretz that arbitrarily defined boundaries around the Netzarim Corridor - a military occupation zone established by Israel in the middle of Gaza - were being used to kill Palestinians seemingly at random and without authorisation needed.

Those killed are posthumously branded "terrorists" even if they are children. A senior officer in Division 252 said it was more than a simple exclusion zone.

"The division commander designated this area as a 'kill zone'," he explained. "Anyone who enters is shot."

Another member of the division told Haaretz that the boundaries of the zone were largely arbitrary and extended "as far as a sniper can see".

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"We're killing civilians there who are then counted as terrorists," he added.

More than 45,000 people have been killed since Israel began its assault on Gaza in October 2023.

The vast majority of the population has been forcibly displaced while the north has been depopulated.

'Shooting and laughing'

In areas under the full control of the Israeli military, there have been repeated reports of indiscriminate killings of civilians.

The Haaretz report said that an "unprecedented" level of authority had been given to commanders in Gaza to kill targets, including allowing low-ranking officers to order air strikes.

In one incident, a soldier recounted shooting dead a 16-year-old in a hail of bullets, "shooting and laughing".

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"That evening, our battalion commander congratulated us for killing a terrorist, saying he hoped we'd kill 10 more tomorrow," the soldier told Haaretz.

"When someone pointed out he was unarmed and looked like a civilian, everyone shouted him down. The commander said: 'Anyone crossing the line is a terrorist, no exceptions, no civilians. Everyone's a terrorist.'"

Another soldier made reference to a military spokesperson announcing that their division had killed more than 200 "militants" in Gaza.

"Standard procedure requires photographing bodies and collecting details when possible, then sending evidence to intelligence to verify militant status or at least confirm they were killed by the IDF," they said.

"Of those 200 casualties, only 10 were confirmed as known Hamas operatives. Yet no one questioned the public announcement about killing hundreds of militants."

'There are no innocents in Gaza'

Other testimony revealed the ideological zeal expressed by some commanders for their actions in Gaza.

One soldier recalled Brigadier General Yehuda Vach, head of Division 252, telling his subordinates that "there are no innocents in Gaza".

"It wasn't just opinion - it became operational doctrine: everyone's a terrorist," said the soldier, adding that Vach also said that "in the Middle East, victory comes through conquering territory. We must keep conquering until we win".

In a statement, the Israeli army denied the allegations made against it by Haaretz and the testimony of the soldiers.

"All activities and operations of IDF forces in Gaza, including in the Netzarim Corridor, are carried out in accordance with established command procedures, with plans approved, and operational orders given by the highest level of command," they told Haaretz.

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