The Israeli army continues to commit a wide range of serious violations that amount to war crimes in the Netzarim axis in the central Gaza Strip, where civilians, including children and people carrying white flags, are being randomly targeted under flimsy pretexts, according to a report by Haaretz published today, Wednesday.

The report includes horrific testimonies of excessive and unjustified use of force in the context of the war of extermination waged by Israel on Gaza, including firing missiles from helicopters at civilians, leaving bodies to be eaten by dogs, and humiliating treatment of survivors, in a scene that reflects a flagrant violation of international laws, while the occupation classifies every Palestinian martyr as a “terrorist,” regardless of whether he is unarmed, or even if he is a child.

Corpse Line: Indiscriminate Targeting of Every Palestinian Who Approaches

The investigation focuses on the practices of the Israeli army in the "Netzarim" axis in the central Gaza Strip, where the occupation soldiers target anyone who approaches the area, or crosses an "imaginary line", which has become known among soldiers and commanders as the "line of corpses."

According to field testimonies from officers and soldiers who served in recent months in the axis established by the occupation army to separate the northern Gaza Strip from its southern part, every Palestinian executed in that area is classified as a “terrorist,” even if he is a child or an unarmed civilian.

The investigation revealed that this line, which does not appear on any map and was not mentioned in any official military orders, was known among army units as an open killing zone. One commander in the 252nd Division described the situation, saying: “After the shooting, the bodies are left uncollected, which attracts dogs that tear them apart.”

"In Gaza, residents have come to know that the presence of dogs means the presence of corpses," he continued.

The Netzarim axis extends for seven kilometers, between the security fence separating the Strip from the 1948 territories, adjacent to Kibbutz Be'eri and the coast. Note that the area surrounding it was completely evacuated of its residents and their homes were destroyed, turning the area into a military base for the occupation.

According to the report, the Israeli army officially prohibits Palestinians from entering the area, but in practice, anyone who does enter is considered a legitimate target. One officer said: “The field commanders described the area as a ‘killing zone’, where anyone who enters must be shot without exception.”

Horrific Testimonies: Civilians and Children in the Line of Fire

The newspaper reviewed numerous testimonies about targeting civilians, including children, and even people carrying white flags, showing how Palestinians are treated in Gaza. In one of the testimonies, a soldier spoke about shooting a 16-year-old Palestinian boy, stressing that he was unarmed.

When one of the soldiers objected, saying that "the boy is unarmed," the battalion commander responded, "Anyone who crosses the line is a terrorist. No exceptions, no civilians here." The body was later photographed and sent to military intelligence to verify his identity, and it turned out that he had no connection to any "militant activity."

Among the testimonies cited in the report was a soldier’s account of targeting a group of unarmed Palestinians who were carrying a white flag and waving it at the drone that was monitoring them; however, orders were given to shoot them.

“One of the commanders pointed to the white flag, saying it was an indication that they were civilians, but the senior commander said, ‘I don’t want to hear about a white flag, shoot,’” the soldier said. Despite attempts by field commanders to object, they were reprimanded and called cowards.

Excessive use of force and missiles against civilians

In another incident, four Palestinians walking near the axis were targeted. The soldier at the scene said: “They were unarmed and were spotted by drones. Despite that, we were ordered to shoot them. Three were killed on the spot. The sight of the bodies is still in my head.”

“The fourth survived and raised his hands in surrender. However, he was held naked in a cage near the site. Several soldiers passed by him and spat on him. It was disgusting. Eventually, a POW interrogator from Unit 504 arrived and asked him some questions while pointing a gun at his head. He questioned him for a few minutes and then ordered him released,” he continued.

In an example of excessive use of force in targeting civilians in Gaza, the report found that a missile was fired from a helicopter at a man and two children who were walking near Netzarim. The soldier who witnessed the incident said that “there was no justification for using such force. They were directly targeted by missiles.”

Competition between units to kill

The report said that competition between military units over the number of Palestinians killed has become a prominent feature of military operations. “Official army statements describe every dead person as a terrorist and announce the number of dead (whom they claim are terrorists), which turns it into a race between units to raise the number of dead,” said one officer. “If the 99th Division killed 150 people, the next division will try to reach 200 dead.”

The report also noted a significant expansion in the powers granted to field commanders. One officer said that battalion commanders now have unprecedented powers, including making decisions to use air power without referring to higher command. “Often, commanders feel they are running an armed militia, where field laws and regulations are bypassed,” he added.

The commander of the 252nd Division, Yehuda Wach, was described in the investigation as an extremist figure who runs operations with a mindset that is at odds with traditional military norms. In one meeting, Wach, a settler from Kiryat Arba near Hebron, said, “As far as I’m concerned, there are no innocent people in Gaza. Everyone is a terrorist.”

One officer who attended Wach’s first meeting with commanders in the Netzarim axis said he was a commander who integrated his political visions into his military plans. Another officer described him as “a little Napoleon” in a position “beyond his capabilities, and requiring leadership wisdom that was lacking from the beginning.”

The report also indicated that it sought to force the Palestinian population in northern Gaza to leave their homes forcibly towards the south, but failed to achieve this completely; the report revealed a large number of crimes, characterized by the absence of accountability and the erosion of controls, and representing a flagrant violation of international laws.

The report concluded by pointing out the psychological impact of these practices on the soldiers themselves, as one of them said, “What is happening here is not only killing Palestinians, but also killing us. If I am asked to return to Gaza, I will not do so.”