A groundbreaking report from Breaking the Silence (BtS), an influential NGO founded by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) veterans, has unveiled chilling testimonies from soldiers detailing the systematic destruction of land in Gaza.
The report, titled “The Perimeter: Soldiers’ Testimonies from the Gaza Buffer Zone 2023-2024,” exposes how IDF soldiers razed vast areas to expand the buffer zone between Gaza and Israel deeper into the Palestinian territory during the ongoing conflict.
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IDF Soldiers Reveal Devastating Tactics in Gaza
BtS, established in 2004, has long been a voice for transparency, publishing over 1,400 accounts from IDF soldiers about their experiences in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem since 2000.
The latest report, based on interviews with dozens of soldiers involved in the buffer zone expansion since October 7, 2023, paints a grim picture of the IDF’s operations.
One anonymous warrant officer, who served in northern Gaza from January to February 2024, described the expanded zone—now stretching up to 1.5 kilometers into Gaza as a “Hiroshima-like” wasteland, with civilians banned and all structures demolished.
“This is a policy by the current Israeli government, which leads us to a future of no security,” warned Joel Carmel, BtS’s advocacy director.
Buffer Zone Expansion: A Permanent Fixture?
Since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,000 Israelis and saw 250 kidnapped, Israel has significantly widened the buffer zone along its border with Gaza.
Previously 300 meters wide according to the UN’s OCHA, the zone now extends at least one kilometer into Gaza, with some areas reaching 1.5 kilometers, soldiers told BtS.
The expansion, which could ultimately consume 17% of Gaza’s total area according to reports citing the humanitarian group Gisha, is raising alarms.
BtS warns that this “confiscation of land” will cripple Gaza’s reconstruction efforts and threaten its long-term sustainability.
The organization accuses Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who stated in October 2023 that “Gaza’s territory will shrink” post-war, of pursuing policies tantamount to “ethnic cleansing.”
Testimonies of Destruction and Doubt
A sergeant first class, who served in northern Gaza in November 2023 and spoke to CBC News on condition of anonymity, recounted how his unit was ordered to demolish dozens of buildings near Israeli settlements.
Initially focused on already devastated northern Gaza, the mission later shifted to southern areas still showing signs of life.
“The houses there were not nearly as destroyed as in the north,” the sergeant said, noting the visible remnants of Palestinian lives left behind.
The sergeant, untrained in demolishing homes and learning on the job alongside commanders, described leaving Gaza in December 2023 as a “mound of rubble.”
Professor Adi Ben-Nun from Hebrew University, who has tracked the destruction using satellite imagery, estimates that of Gaza’s pre-war 180,000 buildings, 120,000 were destroyed by March 2024.
“Everything is destroyed—the roads, electricity, water, sewage,” he said, predicting generations needed for recovery.
Long-Term Implications for Gaza and Israel
The expanded buffer zone, now covering 65% of Gaza as “no-go” areas under displacement orders, leaves little hope for return or rebuilding.
BtS and experts fear this could become a permanent feature, severing Palestinians from crucial farmland and infrastructure.
For Israel, the policy risks perpetuating insecurity, as Carmel argues: “Israel is choosing a future for Gaza where no one can ever come back.”
Despite outreach, neither the IDF nor Israeli government officials responded to CBC News before publication.
BtS urges Israel to return to diplomatic negotiations to secure hostages and achieve peace, highlighting the human and ethical costs of the current approach.
Visual Evidence and Global Concern
Images from the region, like those from the Nuseirat refugee camp showing Palestinians sifting through the rubble, underscore the scale of destruction.
Satellite imagery toggled by Ben-Nun reveals a stark contrast: lush green patches and structures pre-October 7 replaced by gray devastation post-war.
As the international community watches, the BtS report has sparked outrage and calls for accountability.
The organization’s call to end the occupation and seek peace resonates amid growing global concern over Gaza’s future.
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