Testimonies of Israeli soldiers: destruction, revenge and alleged war crimes in Lebanon and Gaza

An Israeli reservist has described acts of indiscriminate destruction and alleged war crimes committed by the Israeli army (IDF) in Lebanon and Gaza, raising questions about military conduct and troop motivations. The reservist, verified by Responsible Statecraft, spoke about his firsthand experiences, including participation in the invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon and operations in Gaza.

The "Nakba of 2026": the destruction of Aitaroun

The reservist described the complete demolition of the village of Aitaroun, on the border with Lebanon, as part of a military strategy aimed at eliminating what the IDF considers "terrorist infrastructure." According to the soldier, every house used by Hezbollah, even for minor purposes such as hiding places or ammunition depots, was razed to the ground.

"The orders were very clear, destroy. We received a map of all the houses considered terrorist infrastructure. Every house that had been used by Hezbollah, even as a hiding place or ammunition depot, was destroyed," the reservist stated.

However, the reservist also admitted that the criteria for defining terrorist infrastructure could be extremely broad. "Every house has almost hunting rifles and rifles. It's like that in every house, literally. I saw maybe three houses with heavy weapons, like PK machine guns and Kalashnikov assault rifles. The rest had hunting weapons and images of Hezbollah and Iranian leaders. If you find even just a hunting weapon under the flag of a terrorist organization, according to international law, it is a terrorist outpost," he explained.

Alleged war crimes in Gaza

The reservist also described an episode in Gaza, where he served as a driver for a medical unit in the Netzarim corridor, a supply road that divides the territory into north and south. He recounted a soldier boasting about committing a war crime:

"When we arrived at our post in the Netzarim corridor, he was already there. He boasted about doing more shifts because he almost enjoyed it. It has become his life now. It's very strange. Most of us don't like doing shifts. Once, when we were home for the weekend and returned, he boasted about killing people who were trying to cross and this was very disgusting. We insisted that that soldier not remain in our unit anymore. I heard from people who were there at the time that he wasn't just making it up, that there had been an incident. He said: 'three people were trying to cross and I killed them'. It was traumatizing to hear him. I know he was then transferred elsewhere, I don't know if he was charged," the reservist said.

The motivation of revenge

The reservist admitted that many Israeli soldiers were motivated by a sense of revenge, especially after the October 7, 2023 attacks. "When we first entered Gaza and saw entire areas razed to the ground... I won't lie, many Israelis felt a sense of revenge, that is, this is what happens after October 7. I can tell you there was a sense of satisfaction. Even I, and I hate to admit it out loud," he confessed.

He then stated that the same sense of revenge drove soldiers in the destruction of villages in southern Lebanon: "People want to destroy for revenge." When questioned about a previous statement in which he had claimed that some IDF soldiers had a "thirst for destruction" that disturbed him, he responded: "100%".

A trend of soldiers' testimonies

This interview is part of a trend that has seen Israeli soldiers admit to witnessing or even committing war crimes in Gaza and elsewhere. Soldiers at the beginning of the war in Gaza described practices that likely constitute war crimes, such as shooting any Palestinian who came too close to Israeli forces.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz published testimonies of soldiers who described the creation of a "kill zone" in the Netzarim corridor, where "anyone who enters is killed," even children. Several soldiers revealed to the newspaper the "moral damage" they had suffered due to the commission of various atrocities in the territory.

More recently, five soldiers told the newspaper that the IDF had become "like a Viking army" that loots houses and that in southern Lebanon, "our mission was one - leave no structure standing, destroy everything".

Testimonies compiled by the IDF veterans group Breaking the Silence claimed that soldiers were ordered to shoot indiscriminately at anyone entering certain parts of Gaza, and that soldiers were driven by a desire for revenge rather than ethical or legal principles.

The implications for the future of the conflict

The testimonies of Israeli soldiers raise crucial questions about the future of the conflict between Israel and Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups. In particular, they call into question the IDF's ability to conduct military operations in compliance with international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights. Furthermore, the soldiers' statements could have a significant impact on the international perception of Israel and the country's diplomatic relations with other states. In particular, they could influence the ongoing debate in the United States regarding military support for Israel and the possibility of further integration between the armed forces of the two countries.

Conclusions

The testimonies of Israeli soldiers described in this article raise serious concerns about the IDF's respect for international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights. They highlight the need for an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of war crimes and a stronger commitment from the international community to end human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and in southern Lebanon. Furthermore, the soldiers' statements underscore the importance of promoting a military culture based on ethical and legal principles and ensuring that the Israeli armed forces operate in compliance with international humanitarian law. Only through a shared commitment to justice and human rights will it be possible to end the cycle of violence and build lasting peace in the region.