IDF Officer Details Moral Dilemmas Amid Gaza War and 'NAZA' Film Controversy
Amidst a heated public debate in Israel sparked by the controversial documentary "NAZA," a reserve officer has broken his silence to offer an inside perspective on the IDF's conduct during the Gaza conflict. Lieutenant Colonel Omri Zigan, head of operations for the elite 36th Armored Division "Ga'ash," shared his experiences with the Mako news portal, emphasizing the military's efforts to adhere to international humanitarian law and minimize civilian casualties under difficult circumstances.
Zigan invoked Theodore Roosevelt's 1910 "Man in the Arena" speech, drawing parallels between the former U.S. president's words on striving for a worthy cause despite inevitable mistakes and the reality faced by Israeli soldiers after the October 7th attacks. He described the war as a brutal human experience marked by constant risk and loss of life, particularly during ground operations in densely populated Palestinian areas where, he stated, terrorists used civilians as human shields by embedding themselves in civilian infrastructure.
While acknowledging the success of targeted operations like the recent "pager" operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Zigan cautioned against viewing it as representative of typical combat. He explained that real-world engagements are often prolonged, violent, and complicated by the difficulty of distinguishing combatants from civilians, a challenge exacerbated in 99% of cases.
The division's command faced agonizing moral choices daily while advancing in Rafah, Khan Younis, and Gaza City, requiring split-second decisions. Zigan recounted instances such as a request to neutralize a man carrying a large bag near an Israeli unit and a dilemma over evacuating an injured elderly Palestinian versus prioritizing transport for wounded Israeli soldiers.
He asserted that the military strives to follow the laws of war, though acknowledging that violations can occur and require thorough, transparent investigations. Zigan also noted that adherence to legal and ethical frameworks is partly driven by a desire to maintain international legitimacy. He concluded by stating that the vast majority of Israeli soldiers deeply regret the accidental deaths of innocent civilians, which they view as a tragic cost of the war.
