Israeli Soldier's Testimony: There Are Those Who Seem Happy to Shoot Palestinians in Gaza

JAKARTA - The testimony of three Israeli reserve soldiers opens the dark side of military operations in Gaza. They say there is an order to shoot anyone who crosses or approaches the Yellow Line, a temporary separation zone in eastern Gaza.

Quoted from Anadolu Agency, Sunday, May 31 referring to a report by The Associated Press, the three soldiers served in a number of areas of Gaza between October 2025 and January 2026. They asked that their identities be kept secret.

Anadolu said the soldiers took part in Israel's genocidal war in the Gaza Strip. They claimed to speak out in anger and sadness over what they saw on the ground.

They described the rules of engagement during the ceasefire as chaotic. The rules of engagement are provisions on when soldiers may use force or fire.

One soldier called the ceasefire a "joke".

"To call what happened a ceasefire is nothing but a joke," a soldier said.

The Yellow Line is a temporary separation zone in eastern Gaza. The line divides the area under the control of the Israeli military and the area where Palestinians are allowed to live.

The Israeli military previously stated that it had taken control of 53 percent of Gaza after repositioning troops to the Yellow Line in October. The move was said to be part of the first phase of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.

However, Palestinian sources say the border has continued to shift west in recent months.

An Israeli soldier said the situation around the line was "like a jungle". According to him, the orders received after the ceasefire was announced were very clear.

"If anyone crosses this line, shoot on the spot," he said.

Another soldier claimed to have seen his colleagues cheering and congratulating each other after targeting a Palestinian vehicle near an Israeli-controlled area. All the people in the vehicle were said to have died.

According to the soldier, such a scene has become commonplace since a fragile ceasefire took effect in October.

According to the testimony quoted by Anadolu from the AP report, some of the troops treated the shooting as a routine. Some were even said to have been seen enjoying the shooting of Palestinians.

The Israeli military denied targeting civilians just because they approached the line. To AP, the Israeli military called the area around the Green Line a sensitive operating area and had been marked with a no-go sign.

The Israeli military also stated that their engagement rules require warnings before the use of force. However, in situations of immediate threat, the troops are entitled to act.

However, a soldier who spoke to AP and Breaking the Silence, an Israeli organization that documents soldiers' testimonies, gave a different picture.

He said troops were often too far away, moving too fast, and working under high pressure. As a result, they could not always ensure who the target was shot at.

The soldier also said that the person who shot or ordered the drone attack did not always know the identity of the person who crossed the line.

According to him, the request for an air strike on a building is sometimes made "based on intuition and estimates", or the last location where the target is seen.

Breaking the Silence said engagement rules in Gaza were lax and opened the way for excessive force, particularly against people crossing the Yellow Line.

Still according to Anadolu Agency, the Gaza Media Office said Israeli attacks had killed 929 Palestinians and injured 2,811 people since the ceasefire came into effect in October.

Palestinian data also said that the Israeli war in Gaza since October 2023 has killed 72,938 Palestinians and injured more than 172,000 people. Most of the victims are said to be women and children.

The testimony of the soldiers made the implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza once again highlighted. According to them, residents who cross or approach the Yellow Line are still at risk of being targeted.