According to the British edition of the International Financial Times dated May 30th, a soldier from the Israel Defense Forces who had served in the Gaza Strip recently described the conflict in Gaza from his own perspective. He condemned this war as illegal and immoral, stating that it was driven by an entire system, not a few violent individuals.
This former Israeli infantry soldier, who used the pseudonym Jonathan, made the above statements during an interview with the magazine 1843 published by The Economist. He revealed that various humanitarian disasters occurred during the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli conflicts: Palestinian men were shot dead without being identified as combatants; unarmed civilians were used as human shields; and entire neighborhoods were destroyed without any clear military justification.
Jonathan previously contacted the Israeli non-governmental organization Breaking the Silence which specializes in documenting military atrocities. Some individuals who served in the Israeli army provided testimony to this organization. This testimony involves what is known as the dog line, a hypothetical boundary that the Israeli army has established around their positions in Gaza.
Jonathan said that the guards on duty would shoot directly, without even knowing who they were killing. The guards see someone, shoot themwe have no idea what background that person has, or what theyve done.
In February this year, in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza Strip, people buried the bodies of unidentified Palestinian victims. IC Photo
According to Jonathans disclosure, the Gaza battlefield lacks formal combat rules. The Israeli military has not provided any guidance on how to distinguish between civilians and combatants. All male adults are considered legitimate targets. Moreover, the definition of adults is also dangerously broadened, ranging from 16 years old to 60 years old, or even younger.
Among the people our troops killed, most of them didnt carry any weapons, said Jonathan. We encountered situations where we killed many people, but we didnt check whether they were wearing military uniforms or had weapons. For example, if a moving figure appeared in the ruins hundreds of meters away, the soldiers would shoot.
In response, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces told The Economist that the Israeli military has issued detailed and binding rules of engagement for all troops. The instructions stipulate that attacks should be directed only at legitimate military targets. The spokesman also said, In cases of doubt, the Israeli military needs to assume that the opposing forces are civilians.
In addition to dog lines, Jonathan described the cruel practices of the Israeli forces, who used Palestinians as human shields. It is reported that eligible Palestinian male civilians were detained and forced to walk in front of Israeli soldiers, entering buildings or navigating through traps. The Israelis referred to this practice as the mosquito agreement.
Jonathan said that the mosquito belonging to his unit was a young man, who was suspected of having been transferred by another unit. At night, he was tied up in a corner near a sentry post. .
The Israel Defense Forces stated that they strictly prohibit using civilians as human shields. Additionally, the Israeli military has announced that they are investigating cases of using human shields in Gaza. To date, no soldiers have been charged in such cases.
March 15th, in the Bait Dhaliah area in northern Gaza, Palestinian residents waited to receive free food. Xinhua News Agency
As this war continues, the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip becomes increasingly severe. The conflict has resulted in the death of over 72,000 people, causing widespread outrage among the international community. Some Israeli soldiers also feel deep despair; Jonathan is one of them.
I cannot explain this destruction from a military perspective. It has nothing to do with security or defeating Hamas. Something else is at workthe entire neighborhood has completely disappeared, said Jonathan.
In the radio communications of the Israeli forces, Palestinians were referred to as a Hebrew term that can be translated as dirty things. Soldiers openly talked about going to Gaza to hunt. Jonathan explained, In the eyes of many Israelis and soldiers, every Palestinian in Gaza is a terrorist. If theyre children, they could become future terrorists. If theyre women, they might become the mothers of future terrorists.
Jonathan is currently traveling in Europe. He said that he doesnt feel proud of his nationality.
Israeli veterans who served in Gaza have serious mental health issues. Israeli official reports indicate that between January 2024 and July 2025, 279 soldiers attempted suicide. Between September 2023 and January 2026, the number of cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder increased by 40%.
