• Israeli contractor mistaken for a threat after wearing civilian clothing and approaching a remaining IDF post.
• 500,000 Palestinians return to northern Gaza with ceasefire still holding overall
An Israeli contractor was killed in central Gaza on Tuesday morning by friendly fire.
Jacob Avitan, 39 was a defence contractor from Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat.
As Israeli forces withdrew from the Netzarim Corridor area of central Gaza, Avitan was misidentified as a threat in civilian clothing as he arrived at an IDF post in civilian clothing.
The defence ministry has said that they have hired numerous civilians with construction experience for demolition tasks in Gaza.
Avitan was the second defence contractor killed in Gaza during the genocide, in May contractor Liron Yitzhak was killed by a mortar fired at troops in southern Gaza’s Rafah.
Tuesdays incident came at a time most Israeli troops had withdrawn from the Netzarim corridor with few remaining in temporary posts.
More than 500,000 Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza after the ceasefire was called, most returned to devastated homes.
There have been several warning shots and incidences with the IDF since the ceasefire was called.
In central Gaza a drone strike was carried out as a warning after a vehicle attempted to travel to north Gaza via an area that is prohibited for vehicular traffic per the agreement, and as such would not have undergone inspection.
In southern Gaza, the IDF said troops fired warning shots after suspects were approaching forces “and posed a threat.” After the suspects continued to near the troops, they were directly targeted.
Avitan’s death highlights the carelessness of the IDF in Gaza against civilian life and exposes it’s strategy of deterrence as being one of utmost carelessness to the preservation of a ceasefire.
Nonetheless the ceasefire has and is still holding overall with 8 Israeli and Thai hostages released today in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners.
