Haaretz Investigation: Israeli Soldiers Ordered to Shoot Unarmed Palestinians at Gaza Aid Centers

Watan-An explosive Israeli investigative report published Friday confirms that Israeli occupation forces have been deliberately killing Palestinian civilians gathering at humanitarian aid centers in Gaza without justification. The Haaretz newspaper, citing testimonies from Israeli soldiers and officers, revealed that military commanders gave orders last month to open fire on unarmed Palestinian crowds under the pretext of “dispersing” them—even though they posed no threat.

According to Haaretz, Israel’s military prosecution has called for an investigation to determine whether these acts constitute war crimes.

Haaretz, long known for its critical stance since the war began, had similarly reported on Israeli war crimes during the 2008–2009 Gaza war, based on soldier testimonies. In its new investigation, one soldier described the situation as total chaos when it comes to the ethical use of force. Based on Palestinian Health Ministry data, 549 Palestinians have been killed near aid centers since May 27, and over 4,000 wounded, though exact figures from Israeli gunfire remain unclear.

The report adds that the Israeli military prosecutor has formally requested the army’s General Staff to investigate these war crime allegations in Gaza’s aid zones.

The “Gaza Humanitarian Aid Fund” was launched five weeks ago, establishing only four aid centers so far. Its creation, funding sources, and management remain opaque. The fund is reportedly a joint initiative between Israel and unofficial American actors, led by a U.S. evangelical close to former President Donald Trump.

Despite promises, the fund distributes aid irregularly, triggering chaos as starving civilians scramble for supplies. Haaretz tracked 19 separate shooting incidents at aid queues since the fund began, in what it calls the “Food Aid Massacre.” Although shooter identities aren’t always clear, the report emphasizes that no armed groups approach these sites without army oversight.

“They kill civilians with machine guns”

According to Haaretz, aid centers open during the day, yet soldiers shoot civilians who approach early or linger after hours to disperse them. Some shootings happen at night—before sunrise—when civilians may not clearly see boundaries, turning the area into a killing field.

One soldier testified:“In the area where I served, Palestinian civilians were killed daily—between one and five each day. Soldiers fired at them like they were enemy fighters. No tear gas, no crowd dispersal tactics—just gunfire: machine guns, grenade launchers, everything. Once the aid centers open, the shooting stops, and people know they can approach.”

“We speak to them only in the language of bullets.”

He added that sometimes soldiers advance toward the crowd and shoot at close range without any threat.

“No one shot at us. There were no weapons, no enemy—just what we called ‘Operation Salted Fish,’ a systematic killing zone.”

A Lawless Zone

With Israel still barring foreign journalists from Gaza, Haaretz quoted Israeli officers who admit the army withholds documentation from the public about aid center incidents. They believe the creation of the humanitarian fund helped avert total global condemnation of the war—especially following Israel’s attack on Iran.

A reservist recently returned from northern Gaza said:“No one cares about Gaza anymore. It’s become a place with its own brutal laws, where lives are worthless, and death isn’t even considered tragic.”

Another officer guarding an aid center said,“Shooting is our only method of communication with civilians. That’s deeply problematic, to say the least.”

Yet another added:“It’s neither moral nor professional to ‘manage’ a location using tank shells and snipers. I saw many Gazans shot at night while approaching aid points through the fog. Even if some are from Hamas, they come only for food—we are still responsible for distributing it safely.”

The report also highlighted the lack of fixed operating hours at the aid centers, which adds to the panic and danger for civilians.

In a separate article published the same day, investigative journalist Nir Hasson wrote that the Palestinian Health Ministry puts Gaza’s death toll at 56,000, suggesting the real number could be twice as high.