IDF soldiers have told Israeli Channel 13 that they were ordered to kill any Palestinian men they encountered in Gaza, reported Middle East Eye. “A man, no matter what age, don’t play games with it; kill immediately,” one soldier said, describing the orders they received. “They even told us that if it’s a woman or a child, use your judgment, because things happen,” he added, saying similar instructions were given regarding donkeys. His testimony was given to Iris Haim, the mother of an Israeli captive killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, and aired on Channel 13’s investigative program on May 7. Haim’s son was one of three Israeli hostages who escaped their captors in December 2023, but were killed by IDF troops. The incident raised questions about the IDF’s rules of engagement.
The anonymous soldier in the interview was one of the killers of those hostages. Describing his mindset at the time, he said: “I fire 500 bullets a minute. I blow things up. I don’t care. I’m here to kill terrorists.”
Iris, who has remained in contact with Israeli military officials since the incident, told Channel 13 that soldiers had effectively been ordered to “kill every person walking on two legs.”
