Shafaq News/ An Israeli writer admitted that his country's army is committing “war crimes” and “ethnic cleansing” in its more than 13-month war on the Gaza Strip.
In his article, writer Ofer Ilani stated that "a crime is being committed in Gaza in the context of war," adding that "Israel is deliberately erasing a major city that is thousands of years old, carrying out killings on a massive scale, and attempting to expel the population of an entire region."
The writer cited comments by the Director of Israel's Security Agency (Shin Bet), Ronen Bar, who called for reducing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
According to him, the ongoing actions could be characterized as “ethnic cleansing, mass killings, or even a deliberate or semi-deliberate humanitarian catastrophe." Some in Israel reject such accusations, others openly advocate for erasing Gaza, blocking aid, and persisting with bombings that result in the deaths of tens of thousands, he added.
The writer continued, "In any case, one must be either naive or arrogant to deny that there are forces deliberately committing war crimes as part of Israel's war—not merely as collateral damage. This is evident in videos, texts, and eulogies. It is now clear to everyone."
He argued that "what is even more horrifying is that the government led by (Benjamin) Netanyahu, (Bezalel) Smotrich, and (Itamar) Ben-Gvir is one of those forces. In fact, at this point in time, it is more accurate to say that some Israeli combat forces are not committing war crimes—an observation that is pitifully comforting."
In addition, he contended that the government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, and Itamar Ben-Gvir is among the forces responsible for these actions. “In fact, only some Israeli combat units are not engaging in war crimes—a realization that offers little solace,” he proceeded.
Ilani emphasized that millions of Palestinians remain alive and deserve the chance to continue living. He called for a resolution that ends the war and ensures the safety of Israel, Lebanon, and the Palestinians. Above all else, he underscored, the ethnic cleansing and mass killings must come to an end, “not for economic considerations, future implications, or even the issue of hostages, but simply because such actions are indefensible.”
"Even if Israel emerges victorious from this campaign, and even if it somehow miraculously succeeds in freeing the hostages, the atrocities being committed in Gaza constitute a disgrace in Israel's history, one that dwarfs previous lapses," he concluded.