“Israeli” Forces Mass Looted across Gaza, Syria and Lebanon

By Staff, Agencies

A report by "Hamakom Hachi Ham Bagehenom" [The Hottest Place in Hell] compiled numerous testimonies of thefts allegedly committed by members of the "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF] in Gaza and Lebanon, including large sums of cash, jewelry, electronic devices and even vehicles.

These items were later sold on Telegram channels, Facebook Marketplace, or in public sales.

Testimonies indicate that senior officials were not concerned with the theft, with some even partaking in the looting.

A commander in the "Nahal" Brigade, using the pseudonym “Eitan” to remain anonymous, explained, "A senior commander taking equipment from people's homes in Gaza, with the full knowledge of the company sergeant and the company commander."

According to the investigation, the stolen items being sold are typically incriminating, making them unsuitable for normal use and this includes jewelry with Arabic inscription, as well as ammunition and weapons, which would raise suspicion if used.

Another soldier, Omar, added that those in positions of authority did not see a problem with such actions. He explained that “At the higher levels, they turned a blind eye”, noting that they are not concerned with addressing the looting.

One month into “Israel's” war on Gaza, the unit reported five million shekels [$1.3m] confiscated from the besieged enclave and deposited into the state treasury. Today, the figure stands at 100 million shekels [$27.6m] in cash from Gaza and Lebanon combined.

Last week, a new report by “Israeli” outlet Ynet outlined the vast amounts of valuables stolen by IOF from Syria, Lebanon and Gaza, including boxes of cash valued at nearly $28m, gold bars, luxury jewelry and 183,000 pieces of weaponry.

The looting was so widespread that soldiers joked they “broke their backs” from carrying the stolen items.

According to Ynet, during the ongoing invasions of Syria, Lebanon and Gaza, soldiers have seized enough pieces of weaponry to form a small army.

Looting, pillaging and theft by military forces is prohibited by international law, and constitutes a war crime. Spoilation, the act of removing items belonging to vulnerable communities and civilians, is also considered illegal.

Such violations have been largely seen as normalized amongst the “Israeli” public, with some of the most recent case involving theft from houses in the occupied West Bank during military raids.

In February last year, the former IOF chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, warned soldiers against looting homes in Gaza after numerous videos emerged showing houses being vandalized and ransacked.

According to the “Israeli” Ynet news website, Halevi has asked commanders and soldiers to refrain from theft, unnecessary graffiti on the walls and a "breakdown of discipline".

He pointed to several videos posted online that showed violent and provocative acts that appeared to have little to do with furthering the stated aim of destroying Hamas.