Reports have surfaced in the Israeli media suggesting that Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilians under what may have been lax rules of engagement during the Gaza offensive. Quoting those who fought, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Thursday that soldiers had also ransacked and destroyed civilian property. The soldiers' testimony, made at a course at Oranim Academic College in Tivon, runs counter to the Israeli army's claims that troops observed a high level of moral behaviour during the operation. The testimonies include a description by an infantry squad leader in which he relates an incident where an Israeli sharpshooter shot a Palestinian mother and her two children, Haaretz reported.
HaAretz: IDF in Gaza: Killing civilians, vandalism, and lax rules of engagement:
"And the atmosphere in general, from what I understood from most of my men who I talked to ... I don't know how to describe it .... The lives of Palestinians, let's say, is something very, very less important than the lives of our soldiers. So as far as they are concerned they can justify it that way." Ynet News: Soldiers say IDF immoral in Gaza.
Middle East Online: Israel's War Crimes: Israel's airstrikes on Gaza are severe and massive violations of international law - and nations that have supported Israel's siege of Gaza are complicit in the crimes, says Richard Falk.
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