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Friendly fire during the Gaza war

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In specific cases there were incidents of friendly fire in the Gaza war. The vast majority of casualties in the conflict were killed by the opposing side, i.e. Israelis killed by Palestinian militants and Palestinians killed by the Israeli military. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), as of May 2024, 49 of the 278 Israeli soldiers killed during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip were killed by friendly fire and in other accidents.[1]

Background

Friendly fire incidents were seen before the Gaza invasion and the 7 October attacks, with a non-commissioned officer shot and killed by IDF troops in Summer 2023 while securing an alley way in Jenin with the elite Egoz commando unit. Two others were killed in the same unit in January 2022 in the Jordan Valley, with both incidents being highlighted as mistaken identities.[2][3]

7 October: other incidents

Be'eri kibbutz

In the Hamas led attack on 7 October, around 40 Hamas militants attacked the Be'eri kibbutz in southern Israel and took many Israelis as hostages. At one point, a Palestinian commander asked an Israeli woman, Yasmine Porat, to call the Israeli police as he wanted to negotiate safe passage back to Gaza in exchange for keeping the hostages alive.[4] The Israeli police arrived and engaged in a gun battle with the militants; the militants used the hostages to prevent the Israeli police from killing them. A tank then arrived and fired on the house full of the hostages. Porat said most of the hostages were still alive before the tank arrived.[4] Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram admitted he had ordered the tank to fire at the house, knowing that it contained both Israeli civilians and Palestinian militants, "even at the cost of civilian casualties."[5]

Relatives of some of those killed have demanded a probe into the potential deaths of some of these hostages from friendly fire, including one incident in which an Israeli tank fired at a house full of hostages.[5][6][4]

Nir Oz kibbutz

On 7 October, as Israeli Doron Katz-Asher and other members of her family were being transported from the Nir Oz kibbutz on a tractor to be taken as hostages by Palestinian militants, the IDF fired on them to stop the tractor reaching Gaza; her mother Efrat Katz died from a bullet. Doron Katz-Asher was held hostage in Gaza for 49 days before being released during the ceasefire in late November.[7] On 5 April 2024 it was announced that an IDF investigation found high credibility that Katz was likely killed by friendly fire.[8]

Alumim kibbutz

On 7 October, Ofek Atun and his girlfriend Tamar escaped from the Re'im music festival massacre and attempted to enter kibbutz Alumim, which was also attacked, to seek refuge. Members of the kibbutz's security squad and a resident soldier mistook them for militants and opened fire, killing Atun and wounding Tamar.[9]

Kissufim kibbutz

On 11 May 2025 the Israeli television channel Channel 13 revealed that the IDF killed an Israeli civilian named Tom Godo while he was hiding with his family in Kissufim on 8 October 2023. An Israeli spokesperson confirmed the report, saying that "the IDF [the Israeli army] determined that Tom Godo was apparently killed by IDF gunfire directed at the door of the safe room".[10][11]

Invasion of Gaza Strip

Further information: Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip

According to the Israeli military, since the ground invasion of Gaza beginning on 29 October, an average of two to six soldiers were killed each week from friendly fire for a total of 18 soldiers out of 170 killed as of 1 January 2024.[12] By 26 January the number of IDF troops killed in friendly fire incidents had been increased to 36 out of 188 soldiers reported as killed.[13] They were a part of the about 17% of soldiers war-related deaths that were classified as accidents.[14][15][16] On the six month anniversary of the 7 October attack in April 2024, the IDF published data on their engagements which included casualty numbers. Per the report 41 soldiers of the 604 killed since the start of the war were the result of operational accidents which included friendly fire.[17]

Of the deceased some were killed by Israeli airstrikes, shrapnel from their own explosives, being run over by Israeli armored vehicles, and mistakenly identified and hit with tank fire, shelling and/or guns. These numbers do not take into account injuries resulting from friendly fire, but the IDF has indicated that they have had reports of those.[13]

IDF

On 8 January 2024, Israeli combat engineers were reportedly prepping to demolish a Hamas facility. A nearby tank crew mistakenly opened fire, leading to an electricity pole collapsing and setting off the explosives. Six soldiers lost their lives, and 14 others sustained injuries in the blast.[18]

On 28 April 2024, two Israeli reserve soldiers in Gaza were killed by an IDF tank shelling a building in the Netzarim corridor where a group of Israeli soldiers were staying. The incident took place amid an exchange of fire with Hamas operatives in the area.[19]

On 15 May 2024, five Israeli paratroopers were killed after being shelled by an IDF tank believing them to be Palestinian combatants.[1]

Analysis

Retired US Navy admiral and former supreme leader of NATO forces, James Straridis cautioned that the IDF had a very high friendly fire rate, even in a dense urban setting while speaking to reporters.[18] Atlantic Council fellow and military intelligence expert Alex Plitsas cautioned that due to the fog of war, while any friendly fire instances are cause for concern, it was difficult to discern or reflect on if highlighted broader issues with the IDF and their tactics.[20] Some experts such as retired US Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland highlighted the urban combat, lack of evacuation, and poor building quality due to the blockade which could cause higher numbers of friendly fire. IDF veteran Avner Gvaryahu, the executive director of the Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence, stated that incidents were more common due to a policy of "very loose rules of engagement".[13]

The sibling of one of the engineers killed in the 8 January incident claimed the cause of his brother's death was a freak accident and he did not blame the soldiers involved as they were under large amounts of pressure and it was their duty to protect the engineers.[18]

Gaza Strip: Palestinians killed

Further information: Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion

On 17 October 2023 – during the Gaza war – a large explosion occurred in a courtyard of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, resulting in a large number of displaced Palestinians seeking shelter there being killed or injured. The cause of the explosion is contested. Several sources considered that an errant rocket from Gaza was the likeliest expanation a week after the incident, based on evidence gathered in investigations conducted by the Associated Press,[21] CNN,[22] The Economist, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal.[23] In late November 2023, Human Rights Watch also stated that the available evidence made an Israeli airstrike "highly unlikely."[24] Investigations by Channel 4 News,[25] Al Jazeera,[26] research groups Earshot[27] and Forensic Architecture (FA) contested Israeli claims of a misfired Hamas rocket being responsible for the blast, with FA concluding instead that the blast was the result of a munition fired from the direction of Israel.[28] In subsequent visual investigations published on 15 February 2024[29][30] and 17 October 2024, with the latter including situated testimony from doctors, FA cast further doubt on the errant rocket launch theory.[31]

In December 2023, Hamas admitted to shooting dead a 13-year-old boy, believing he was trying to loot humanitarian aid.[32] In response, Gazans staged demonstrations against the shooting.[32]

In July 2024, there were reports that a Hamas missile had hit a school in Nuseirat.[33]

Rockets fired by Palestinian groups at Israel have historically sometimes fallen within the Gaza strip itself.[34] According to Israeli military data, 10% and 20% of launched rockets can be considered failed launches.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Fabian, Emanuel (16 May 2024). "5 soldiers killed, 7 hurt in 'friendly fire' incident in northern Gaza's Jabaliya". Times of Israel.
  2. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (16 May 2023). "Former officer in elite Egoz unit charged in deadly friendly fire incident last year". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  3. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (22 August 2023). "IDF probe finds Egoz soldier killed during Jenin operation was shot by friendly fire". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Frankel, Julia; Bernstein, Alon (11 January 2024). "Friendly fire may have killed their relatives on Oct. 7. These Israeli families want answers now". AP News. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b Liza Rozovsky (6 January 2024), "Families of Israelis Killed in Be'eri Home Hit by IDF Tank on October 7 Demand Probe", Haaretz, retrieved 6 January 2024, [...] Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram said he had ordered a tank commander to fire on the home of Kibbutz Be'eri resident Pesi Cohen, in which Israeli civilians and many terrorists were holed up, 'even at the cost of civilian casualties.' [...] families of the killed Israelis demanded 'a comprehensive and transparent probe into the decisions and actions that led to this tragic outcome. [...]'
  6. ^ Staff (6 January 2024). "Families of 13 people killed in October 7 Kibbutz Be'eri firefight demand probe". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ^ Steinman, Tamir (16 December 2023). "י 49 ימים בגיהנום | דורון כץ-אשר, ששוחררה משבי חמאס עם שתי בנותיה, על רגעי האימה והניתוח שעברה ללא הרדמה" [49 days in hell – Doron Katz-Asher, who was released from captivity with her two daughters, about the moments of horror and the surgery she underwent without anesthesia]. N12. Retrieved 27 January 2024. ['At some point they actually put us on a tractor that took us from the field directly to Gaza. This is also where we were injured by the shooting.' At this point, the IDF force is shooting at them, to try to stop the tractor that is now speeding towards Gaza. 'In the middle of the ride on the tractor, there was a shooting, as a result of which my beloved mother was killed. I was injured in the back and my little Avi was injured in the leg.']
  8. ^ "IDF finds female Nir Oz resident likely killed by helicopter fire on October 7". The Jerusalem Post. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  9. ^ Israeli Nova Partygoer Was Misidentified as Hamas Terrorist on October 7 and Killed by Israeli Forces
  10. ^ "שנה וחצי אחרי 7.10: משפחתו של תום גודו גילתה כי נהרג מאש צה"ל". Channel 13 (in Hebrew). 11 May 2025.
  11. ^ Rapaport, Nadav (12 May 2025). "Israeli troops 'killed civilian during Hamas attack and covered it up'". Middle East Eye.
  12. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (1 January 2024). "IDF: Deaths of 29 of 170 soldiers in Gaza op were so-called friendly fire, accidents". Times of Israel.
  13. ^ a b c Tanis, Fatma (26 January 2024). "Friendly fire and accidents have killed a lot of Israeli soldiers in Gaza. Here's why". NPR. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  14. ^ Lilach Shoval (12 December 2023). "20 מתוך 105 הרוגים: חמישית מהנופלים בתמרון - כתוצאה מתאונות" [20 of 105: Fifth of the fallen in the operation - results of accidents]. Israel Hayom. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  15. ^ Amir Buhbut (12 December 2023). "20 לוחמים נפלו מתחילת התמרון מאש צה"ל ותאונות מבצעיות" [20 Soldiers killed since beginning of operation from IDF fire and operational accidents]. Walla. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  16. ^ Bob, Yonah Jeremy (1 January 2024). "IDF: 17% of soldiers killed by friendly fire in Gaza". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Gaza war in numbers: IDF publishes data on six months of fighting against Hamas". I24 News. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  18. ^ a b c Sanchez, Raf; Pinson, Shira (25 January 2024). "Deaths of Israeli soldiers in explosion highlight friendly fire accidents in Gaza". NBC News. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  19. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (30 April 2024). "Two reservists killed in central Gaza were mistakenly hit by IDF fire — probe". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  20. ^ Da Silva, Chantal (12 December 2023). "Nearly one-fifth of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza died due to friendly fire and other accidents, IDF says". NBC News. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  21. ^ "New AP analysis of last month's deadly Gaza hospital explosion rules out widely cited video". AP News. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  22. ^ Murphy, Paul P.; Polglase, Katie; Brown, Benjamin; Mezzofiore, Gianluca; Mackintosh, Eliza (21 October 2023). "CNN Investigates: Forensic analysis of images and videos suggests rocket caused Gaza hospital blast, not Israeli airstrike". CNN. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  23. ^ Danner, Chas (23 October 2023). "Everything We Know About the Gaza City Hospital Blast". Intelligencer: New York Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  24. ^ Gaza: Findings on October 17 al-Ahli Hospital Explosion - Evidence Points to Misfired Rocket but Full Investigation Needed (Report). Human Rights Watch. 26 November 2023. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023.
  25. ^ Thomson, Alex (18 October 2023). "Who was behind the Gaza hospital blast – visual investigation". Channel 4 News. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Investigations reveal discrepancies in Israel's Gaza hospital attack claims". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  27. ^ "Analysis suggests discussion between Hamas operatives shared by Israel fabricated". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  28. ^ Horton, Jake; Cheetham, Joshua; Sardarizadeh, Shayan (26 October 2023). "Gaza hospital blast: What does new analysis tell us?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2024. The Forensic Architecture agency, a UK-based organisation which investigates human rights abuses, has carried out, external its own analysis of the crater, and suggests it is more consistent with the impact marks from an artillery shell which it concludes came from the direction of Israel.
  29. ^ "Report disputes Israel claims about al-Ahli hospital bombing". The New Arab. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  30. ^ "Israeli disinformation: Al-Ahli Hospital". Forensic Architecture. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  31. ^ "When it stopped being a war...: The situated testimony of Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah". Forensic Architecture. 17 October 2024. Archived from the original on 18 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  32. ^ a b "Israel, Hamas don't jump at Egypt's plan to end their war". POLITICO. Associated Press. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  33. ^ "Hamas Misfires As IDF Intensifies Operations". The Pinnacle Gazette. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  34. ^ "Palestinian Rockets in May Killed Civilians in Israel, Gaza | Human Rights Watch". 12 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  35. ^ "Gaza: Findings on October 17 al-Ahli Hospital Explosion | Human Rights Watch". 26 November 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
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