Israeli Officer Shot Elderly Palestinian Woman in Gaza on Military Orders, Report Claims
An Israeli officer shot and killed an elderly Palestinian woman in Rafah, southern Gaza, during the summer of 2024 after receiving a phone call, according to an Israeli journalistic investigation based on testimonies collected by the "Hamkom" website. The officer reportedly told two soldiers with him that he was acting on orders from a superior. At the time, Israeli forces were conducting ground operations in Rafah, searching homes after ordering hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to evacuate. Many homes were found empty, though some residents remained unable to leave.
Soldiers from the 50th Battalion of the Nahal Brigade found the elderly woman alone in an area during a supply convoy. Testimonies indicate she was frail, ill, and posed no threat. The soldiers placed her, bound and blindfolded, inside a Humvee in the convoy. However, the officer leading the Humvee stopped the vehicle mid-route, took the woman out, and shot her before continuing. When questioned by the soldiers, he stated it was "orders from Lessri." Menachem "Mendi" Lessri was then the deputy commander of the 50th Battalion.
The investigation also linked Lessri to a separate incident revealed in February 2025, where he allegedly tied a explosive belt around an 80-year-old Palestinian man and used him as a human shield. That man and his wife were reportedly killed by other soldiers shortly after Lessri released them, despite the 50th Battalion not informing other forces of their release. The military confirmed a military police investigation was opened over a year and a half ago, but Hamkom reported no soldiers have been summoned for questioning.
The officer who shot the woman was promoted and remains in service. Lessri completed his role as deputy battalion commander in the summer of 2024, unrelated to the incident according to the investigation, and subsequently attended advanced military courses. He posted a photo from Sri Lanka in January and reportedly lives abroad, though the circumstances of his discharge are unclear.
