Israeli troops admit they killed unarmed Palestinians

IDF whistleblowers describe how they were told to ignore international law and 'take revenge on them all' (AP)

- BEL TREW

The Israeli army in Gaza shot unarmed Palestinians “without restraint”, created a “protocol” for using civilians as human shields, and pursued a policy of “destroy, demolish, transfer”, military whistleblowers have claimed.

In a shocking documentary broadcast on ITV, at least a dozen soldiers described in detail how Gaza was left a “zombie apocalypse” after Israel’s unprecedented two-year offensive.

During that time, they said commanding officers told them to ignore international law, use civilians, including teenagers, as human shields, celebrate drone strikes and “take revenge on them all”.

The testimonies, which include a contractor for the controversial Israeli-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, also described the wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure, torching Palestinian homes they turned into forward bases, shooting aid seekers at distribution sites, and an “unprecedented” bombing campaign allowing for vast collateral damage.

One officer, identified only as Lieutenant Colonel B, who has served more than 300 days in Gaza, described the offensive as “all-out”, adding he believed there was “no limit” for collateral damage.

“If you ask me I would have pushed them all into the sea [with bulldozers] on October 7, given them snorkels and let them swim in Egypt,” he told ITV’s Exposure. Another, whose identity was also protected, added: “In my [company] there were people openly saying ‘let’s destroy, demolish, transfer them [out of Gaza].”

Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign and siege of Gaza in the wake of Hamas’s bloody attacks on southern Israel, during which more than 1,000 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli estimates.