Israeli soldiers who killed three Israeli captives in Gaza back in 2023 have said that they were ordered to kill all men they encountered on sight, according to a TV report from Israel’s Channel 13.
“A man, no matter what age, don’t play games with it; kill immediately,” one of the soldiers said, according to Middle East Eye. The soldier added that when it came to women and children, they were told, “Use your judgment, because things happen,” and that a similar order was given regarding donkeys.
The soldier made the comments to Iris Haim, the mother of Yotam Haim, one of the three men killed by the IDF in Gaza City on December 15, 2023, despite the fact that they were shirtless and clearly unarmed, waving a white flag, and yelling “help” in Hebrew.
The soldier, who spoke anonymously, said he was responsible for shooting one of the captives. Yotam survived the initial gunfire and retreated into a building, but when he returned to the area with his arms raised, he was shot at again and killed.
Iris told Channel 13 that Israeli soldiers in Gaza had been effectively ordered to “kill every person walking on two legs.” The brigade commander admitted to her that IDF troops regularly shot and killed unarmed Palestinians, whom he labeled as “terrorists” even if they didn’t have weapons.
“If a terrorist moves toward me, I try to kill him. I do not try to arrest him,” the commander said. When asked if unarmed people were also shot, the commander said, “Of course, we need to kill him – yes, even if he is completely unarmed.”
