Gaza, MINA – The Israeli occupation military has intensified its use of quadcopter drones in Gaza as weapons of psychological warfare, surveillance, and direct violence, according to a report by Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Middle East Monitor reported.
The organization has documented a systematic pattern in which these drones are used not only for intelligence gathering but also for inflicting mental trauma and carrying out deadly attacks on civilians.
Field teams reported that Israeli drones frequently conduct low-altitude flights over shelters, tents, and homes, often hovering outside windows and inside living spaces. In some cases, drones entered crowded rooms at night, filmed sleeping families, and exited without firing, leaving behind severe psychological trauma.
The drones reportedly broadcast disturbing and staged audio, including the sounds of children screaming in pain, dogs attacking, elderly people crying, and women wailing all deliberately selected to terrify civilians.
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“These are not random noises,” the report said. “They are part of a deliberate tactic meant to mentally exhaust civilians, pressure them to flee, or lure them into ambushes.”
The report further alleges that drones often prompt people to investigate strange sounds or check on possible emergencies, only to be fired upon when they approach windows or exit tents.
“The quadcopter becomes both a psychological weapon and a physical one,” the Monitor stated.
Mohammed Salameh, a resident of Al-Remal in central Gaza, described how the fear created by the drones has paralyzed daily life. “We can’t even respond to cries for help. We live in constant fear it could be a trap.”
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In one testimony, a woman from Gaza City said she awoke to a drone hovering inside her home. “Even though it didn’t shoot, the fear was overwhelming,” she said. “Now, I dread sleep. I fear the darkness, the windows, the doors.”
The psychological toll of such tactics is reportedly contributing to a widespread mental health crisis in Gaza, particularly among children, women, and the elderly. Symptoms include insomnia, nightmares, emotional breakdowns, aggression, depression, and emotional numbness.
According to Euro-Med, the Israeli military’s drone strategy represents a calculated and repeated tactic of using psychological warfare alongside physical targeting, amounting to a documented pattern of abuse. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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