Gaza, MINA – According to a recent investigation by Israeli daily Haaretz, Israeli soldiers deployed in the Gaza Strip have been ordered to shoot unarmed Palestinian civilians near aid distribution points, even in the absence of any threat, Anadolu Agency reported.
Testimonies from multiple soldiers revealed that troops were directed to open fire on crowds waiting for humanitarian aid to disperse them. “It’s a killing field,” one soldier said, reporting that between one and five people were killed daily by live ammunition rather than through non-lethal methods.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that since May 27, at least 549 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,000 injured near food aid centers and UN truck locations. These aid distribution points are operated under the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, reportedly coordinated by Israeli authorities, U.S. evangelical organizations, and private security firms.
A senior Israeli reservist noted: “When we asked why they opened fire, we were told it was an order from above. It was pointless, they were just killed for nothing.” Soldiers described the killing of civilians as “normalized,” with little regard for life in what one reservist called a “lawless space.”
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The army’s controversial deterrence tactics include the use of tanks, machine guns, and mortars, even outside aid distribution times. Soldiers shared incidents where “warning shots” escalated into direct lethal strikes.
The military operation has been informally referred to as “Operation Salted Fish,” a play on the children’s game “Red Light, Green Light.” According to Haaretz, Division 252, led by Brigadier General Yehuda Vach, is one of the key units involved, allegedly issuing direct orders to fire on civilians near UN aid vehicles.
While the Israeli army has initiated internal inquiries through its Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, sources told Haaretz that little progress has been made in holding anyone accountable. “This isn’t about a few people being killed, we’re talking about dozens of casualties every day,” a legal expert told the newspaper.
The report comes amid ongoing international scrutiny. Since October 2023, nearly 56,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children have been killed during Israel’s offensive in Gaza. []
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