Experts Challenge Gaza "Nezah" Film's Claims on IDF Rules of Engagement
Professor Gabi Siboni and Brigadier General (Res.) Erez Viner have strongly refuted the allegations presented in the film "Nezah," which critiques the IDF's rules of engagement in Gaza. They argue the film distorts the reality of how the IDF operates, describing a stringent approval process that they claim restricted the military beyond international law requirements, sometimes even endangering soldiers' lives.
Siboni and Viner assert that the film falsely portrays the IDF as intentionally targeting civilians. They explain that international law permits civilian casualties during attacks on legitimate military targets, provided proportionality and distinction are maintained. Viner detailed extensive efforts within the IDF to minimize collateral damage, involving "hundreds of thousands of hours of filming and analysis" to assess potential harm to civilians and surrounding populations before any strike.
According to Viner, the approval process for strikes became increasingly complex over the years, with growing involvement from legal advisors. He recounted an incident early in the current war where certain targets were not attacked due to expected collateral damage, requiring higher-level approval, a process he found absurd given the circumstances of October 7th. Siboni added that Israel has voluntarily adopted measures exceeding international law, such as "roof knocking" warnings and evacuation procedures, which have sometimes put soldiers at risk from enemy fire.
Both experts specifically rejected the film's suggestion that strikes were approved with the expectation of hundreds of civilian casualties. Viner cited the strike that eliminated Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, stating the estimated collateral damage was "less than a hundred, high double-digit, certainly not triple-digit." Siboni presented research from 2024, using data from Hamas-affiliated sources and Israeli figures, suggesting a low ratio of civilian to combatant deaths compared to other urban warfare scenarios.
Siboni and Viner called for thorough investigations into the claims of war crimes. If evidence of such crimes exists, they argued, perpetrators must be prosecuted. Conversely, if the allegations are unfounded, those spreading them should be held accountable. They emphasized that soldiers witnessing wrongdoing should report it in real-time, not years later. Viner concluded by suggesting that screenings of "Nezah" should be accompanied by footage from the October 7th Hamas attacks to provide a complete picture of the conflict.
