A new TV documentary airing on ITV in the UK on November 10, 2025, exposes the accounts of Israeli soldiers describing the killing of civilians in Gaza as arbitrary and uncontrolled. The program, Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel’s War, presents testimony from soldiers, some anonymous, who claim that official codes of conduct have largely disappeared in the conflict.
Daniel, a commander of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tank unit, says bluntly, “If you want to shoot without restraint, you can.” Other soldiers describe a breakdown of standard procedures that normally govern when and how force can be used.
Capt. Yotam Vilk, an armoured corps officer, referenced the official IDF guidelines taught in basic training “means, intent, and ability”—which dictate that a soldier may fire only if a target has the ability to cause harm and intends to do so. Vilk says these rules are largely ignored in Gaza: “No soldier ever mentions ‘means, intent, and ability’. It’s just a suspicion of walking where it’s not allowed.”
Another soldier, Eli, describes how life-and-death decisions often rest on the conscience of the commander rather than formal regulations. This leads to arbitrary judgments about who constitutes an enemy. “If they’re walking too fast, they’re suspicious. If they’re walking too slowly, they’re suspicious,” Eli says.
The documentary also alleges the routine use of human shields and unprovoked attacks on civilians trying to access food aid from militarized distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. One account describes a tank shelling a building in a so-called safe area after a man was seen hanging laundry on the roof, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
These revelations contradict official IDF statements and raise serious concerns about civilian safety amid ongoing military operations in Gaza. The documentary offers a rare inside look at how soldiers on the ground perceive and execute their orders in one of the world’s most volatile conflict zones.
