- IDF’s Official Account on September 10th: Allegations of the Death of 4 Palestinian Men Proven False.
- Discrepancies Uncovered: SANAD’s Analysis Reveals Disturbing Sequence of Events.
On the 10th of September, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released an official account of an incident that they claim took place. According to their statement, armed Palestinians were killed in the Zikim beach region after an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers.
However, keen observers and activist, such as Mohammed El Kurd quickly noticed discrepancies and inconsistencies within the video footage provided. In response to these concerns, Al Jazeera’s Digital Investigations Team, known as SANAD, embarked on a meticulous analysis of the video.
Their investigation began with the meticulous reconstruction of the events depicted in the video, arranging them in chronological order. What emerged was a disturbing sequence of events:
A team of Israeli soldiers, accompanied by an armored tank, were conducting a sweep operation in the area. Four Palestinian individuals emerged, waving their shirts in a gesture that seemed to signal surrender. Crucially, these men were unarmed and posed no immediate threat. Subsequently, the four individuals complied with what appeared to be instructions from the IDF, sitting down as if responding to orders.
Moments later, a shocking turn of events unfolded. Two of the men appeared to be wounded, with one of them lying on his side. The IDF, in a deeply troubling development, proceeded to kill these unarmed individuals. Disturbingly, it was discovered that the IDF then rearranged the bodies and even dragged one of the victims toward a weapon on the ground. These findings were corroborated by independent human rights organisation.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, in particular, validated these findings and expressed the grave concern that the incident could potentially constitute a war crime. The stark and painful reality is that these were individuals who had surrendered, were clearly unarmed, and yet were met with lethal force. The framing of these events by the IDF continues to raise deeply troubling questions about the ethical conduct of the Israeli Defence Force and the Israeli regime.
