Yesterday, the Jerusalem-based +972 Magazine published a horrifying story about the conduct of IDF troops in Gaza that confirms the dehumanization of IDF troops in Gaza by their dehumanizing of the Palestinians.
“In early June, Al Jazeera aired a series of disturbing videos revealing what it described as ‘summary executions’: Israeli soldiers shooting dead several Palestinians walking near the coastal road in the Gaza Strip, on three separate occasions,” the report begins at the outset “In each case, the Palestinians appeared unarmed and did not pose any imminent threat to the soldiers.
“Such footage is rare, due to the severe constraints faced by journalists in the besieged enclave and the constant danger to their lives. But these executions, which did not appear to have any security rationale, are consistent with the testimonies of six Israeli soldiers who spoke to +972 Magazine and Local Call following their release from active duty in Gaza in recent months. Corroborating the testimonies of Palestinian eyewitnesses and doctors throughout the war, the soldiers described being authorized to open fire on Palestinians virtually at will, including civilians.
