Israeli soldiers ‘ordered’ to shoot civilians at dangerous Gaza aid sites, report reveals
6th July 2025
Israeli news outlet Haaretz reports IDF soldiers stationed near GHF aid sites in Gaza have intentionally fired upon Palestinians
ISRAELI soldiers have intentionally shot unarmed Palestinian civilians seeking aid in Gaza, after being ordered to do so by their commanders, Israeli news outlet Haaretz has reported.
Over 549 Palestinians have been killed and 4,066 injured while waiting for aid distributed at "dangerous" sites run by the Israeli and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the Gaza government media office has said.
The opaque GHF organisation has been intensely criticised by aid groups and international bodies since its establishment in May; many claiming the GHF is "weaponising" aid.
According to the Haaretz news report, which quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers, troops were ordered to shoot at crowds of Palestinians and use unnecessary lethal force against people who did not pose a threat.
One solider told Haaretz: “We fired machine guns from tanks and threw grenades. There was one incident where a group of civilians was hit while advancing under the cover of fog.”
In another incident, a soldier said in the location they were operating, between “one and five people were killed every day. It’s a killing field.”
The IDF “strongly rejected” the accusations in the report, according to a military statement published on Telegram. “Any allegation of a deviation from the law or [military] directives will be thoroughly examined, and further action will be taken as necessary.
“The allegations of deliberate fire towards civilians presented in the article are not recognised in the field,” it said.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and defence minister, Israel Katz, meanwhile condemned the report, calling it a, “blood libel” on the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), according to a statement published by The Times of Israel news outlet.
“The IDF operates under difficult conditions against a terrorist enemy that operates from within the civilian population,” they said. “IDF soldiers receive clear orders to avoid harming innocent civilians, and they act accordingly.”
The military advocate general has reportedly told the army’s general staff’s fact-finding assessment mechanism - which reviews incidents involving potential violations of the laws of war - to investigate suspected war crimes at the aid sites.
One of the authors of the report, Haaretz’s Nir Hasson, told news outlet Al Jazeera, the Israeli order to fire on civilians is part of a method to “control” the movement of the aid seekers.
“It’s actually a practice of controlling the crowd by fire, [so] if you wanted the crowd to run off [from] a place, you shoot at them, even though you know they are unarmed. You use fire to move people from one point to another.”
Although Haaretz does not know the name of the IDF commander who might have issued such a directive, Hasson said they would likely hold a position high up in the army.
Hasson said: “[There are] more and more people who are asking themselves if this war is necessary, but also what is the humanitarian price the Gazan population is [paying] for this war?”
“War crimes” are taking place at GHF aid distribution sites in Gaza, the enclave’s government media office said in a statement, referencing “the shocking confessions” published by Haaretz.
“The report’s [revelation that there have been] direct military orders to fire on unarmed civilians who pose no threat, and the use of heavy machine guns, artillery, and shells against peaceful gatherings waiting for [aid], are further evidence the Israeli occupation army is pursuing a systematic policy of genocide under the false guise of 'relief',” the statement said.
The GHF runs four aid sites in Gaza - one in the centre of the strip and three in the south. Attacks on aid seekers have increased since the Israeli blockade on aid was lifted and the foundation started distributing food at the end of May.
On Friday, Gaza health officials said six people were killed by gunfire as they tried to get food in southern Gaza.
The GHF has come under intense criticism by aid groups, including the United Nations, for its “weaponisation” of vital goods and humanitarian services.
At a press conference in New York, the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres said: “We don’t need a report of that nature to acknowledge that there have been massive violations of international law [in Gaza]. And where there is a violation of international law, there must be accountability.”
Also on Friday, medical charity Doctors Without Borders called the GHF’s aid distribution sites “slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid.”
The current conflict in Gaza was triggered when a wave of Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7 2023, killed 1,200 people, and took 251 hostages back to Gaza.
Israel’s military response has killed at least 60,000 people in Gaza and left 150,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
