IDF Intelligence Soldiers Detail Dilemmas Over Civilian Casualties
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Four IDF intelligence and UAV soldiers described wartime dilemmas, including a warning about 300 civilian casualties before a strike approved by the Chief of Staff that killed hundreds. In the war's early days, intelligence gathering on Hamas operatives had been minimal. A year prior, intelligence efforts on lower-ranking Hamas members were halted due to perceived security improvements.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- IDF intelligence soldiers reported warning of 300 civilian casualties before an approved strike.
- The Chief of Staff approved a strike that resulted in hundreds of deaths.
- Intelligence gathering on lower-ranking Hamas operatives was halted a year before the war.
- Soldiers described a commander who prevented them from questioning missions.
- Rebuilding intelligence on Hamas was a key task in the war's early days.
Four soldiers from the intelligence and UAV array have described the dilemmas and debates within the IDF during the war, including a commander who forbade them from questioning missions. In one instance, they reported warning of potential harm to 300 innocent civilians. The Chief of Staff approved the strike, which resulted in hundreds of deaths.
While the IDF regularly announces strikes in the Gaza Strip, the situation in the early days after October 7th was different. Intelligence personnel were tasked with rebuilding an understanding of the enemy, as intelligence gathering in the field had been minimal for a long time. Approximately a year before the war, a directive was issued within Aman (Military Intelligence Directorate) to cease focusing on operational levels below the brigade commander. Senior command believed that with the establishment of the underground barrier and new fence, a large-scale raid was unlikely, leading to a halt in collecting information on lower-ranking Hamas operatives, their activities, roles, and connections.
