Haaretz Report Alleges Israeli Troops Ordered To Fire On Unarmed Gazans At Aid Sites

Israeli soldiers stationed at food aid distribution sites in Gaza were allegedly ordered by their commanders to open fire on unarmed Palestinian civilians, according to a new investigative report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

The revelations, based on interviews with unnamed Israeli soldiers, describe targeted attacks on civilians, including the use of machine guns from tanks and grenades, under the guise of crowd control. One soldier described the site as “a killing field,” stating that between one to five people were killed daily where he was posted.

The Haaretz report prompted widespread condemnation and a strong response from Israeli officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz denounced the allegations as a “blood libel” against the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), maintaining that Israeli troops are under strict orders to avoid harming innocent civilians.

However, Haaretz journalist Nir Hasson, one of the authors of the report, told Al Jazeera that soldiers were instructed to “control” crowds by using live fire, even when they knew the civilians were unarmed. “You shoot at them… to move people from one point to another,” Hasson said, suggesting a systematic method of repression under the guise of security.

The Gaza Government Media Office reported on Thursday that at least 549 Palestinians have been killed and over 4,000 injured while waiting for food aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — an organization jointly backed by the United States and Israel. The GHF, established in May, has faced harsh criticism for failing to deliver aid safely amid ongoing hostilities.

A recent Israeli strike on the Usama bin Zeid School, a shelter for displaced Palestinians, resulted in numerous casualties, with images of grieving families emerging from Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital on Friday.

The Israeli military issued a statement on Telegram rejecting the Haaretz report, stating, “Any allegation of a deviation from the law or [military] directives will be thoroughly examined… The allegations of deliberate fire toward civilians presented in the article are not recognized in the field.”

Nevertheless, Israel’s Military Advocate General has referred the case to the Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, which reviews potential violations of the laws of war. Gazan authorities have called the aid distribution sites a “death trap,” pointing to what they term “shocking confessions” in the Haaretz report as further evidence of systematic targeting. In a statement, the Gaza Government Media Office said, “The Israeli occupation army is pursuing a systematic policy of genocide under the false guise of ‘relief’.”

While most Israelis reportedly still support the ongoing war, the Haaretz journalist noted emerging fractures in public opinion, with a growing number questioning both the necessity of the conflict and its humanitarian toll.

This comes as Gaza continues to suffer under extreme shortages, with babies dying of starvation, critical infrastructure in ruins, and aid convoys struggling to operate under siege conditions.