An Israeli soldier filmed a video clip in which he blew up a building in Gaza as a “gift” to his daughter (Al Jazeera)

A report published by the French website "Orient 21" confirmed that Israeli occupation soldiers are keen to show video clips and pictures of the violations they commit in Gaza to highlight their superiority and take pride in their crimes.

The report, written by Fatima bin Hamad, recalled the incident of American soldiers photographing detainees in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, explaining that until then, this type of photo was reserved for a limited circle and did not reach the general public except through other dissatisfied soldiers.

The writer continued that in the era of social networking sites, Israeli soldiers are keen to share videos and photos. According to them, there are no longer men, women, or children, but rather “enemies” that must be killed, and “things” that must disappear.

She stated that what was most surprising was the number of photos and videos taken by Israeli soldiers laughing very happily.

One of these clips shows two soldiers proposing marriage in a recently bombed school in northern Gaza, while another clip shows a soldier celebrating his engagement with his comrades, counting down until a bomb explodes in a civilian building directly behind him.

Singing amidst the rubble

The report also talked about the soldier who was enjoying the abandoned belongings of Gazan children, and those soldiers who broke into a safe in a house, and sang amidst the rubble. In the occupied West Bank, specifically in Jenin, a video clip showed soldiers smoking shisha, eating potato chips, and feeling comfortable in the home of Palestinians who appear blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs, all in a strange atmosphere that reflects the atmosphere of a group of friends returning from a picnic.

In Jenin, a soldier appeared chanting Jewish prayers from the pulpit of a mosque. Another soldier appeared bragging about the destruction of the buildings of Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, and two soldiers smoked a cigarette while an entire group of civilian homes were destroyed.

The writer also talked about other "more organized" video clips, showing Israeli soldiers preparing in front of the camera to launch missiles, preparing bombs to destroy civilian buildings in Gaza, with catchy music in the background.

Signing the missiles

The report stated that the latest method of the Israeli army is to sign a missile containing messages, an act carried out by Israeli President Isaac Herzog himself, on December 25, 2023, during a field visit.

Writer Fatima bin Hamad stressed that this scene will not be complete unless it shows the role of professional influencers, whose social media accounts were followed by “millions” before the October 7 attack. Among them is soldier blogger Guy Hochman, who can be seen, for example, touring a destroyed house in Gaza, as if he were visiting an apartment rented on Airbnb.

In a very sarcastic tone, he points to the dilapidated ceiling, the floor filled with debris and sand, and the walls filled with anti-Palestinian messages: “This entire residence is free.” He adds in another video clip filmed in Gaza: “This sand is ours, this sea is ours.”

Pride in annihilation

The report highlighted that this immersion in war, represented by the Israeli soldiers themselves, reveals what political sociology professor Yagil Levy calls “dehumanization through contempt,” a feeling that dominates a large part of Israeli society. An example of this is the video clips shown of Israelis disguised as Palestinians during a theatrical performance mocking a massacre that took place a few kilometers away.

German-based Israeli activist Nimrod Flashenberg commented: “What is disturbing is that they are filming themselves celebrating the bombing of universities and homes in Gaza. It is amazing the level of joy and pride these soldiers feel in destroying a country and its people. This dehumanization is pervasive.” "So much so that they don't think they are doing anything wrong. However, we see very little, because the army is watching and censoring leaked images from the battlefront."

He adds that according to the Israeli mentality, the residents of Gaza do not exist, and only the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" exists, which is responsible for the civilian losses.

Fatima bin Hamad stated that based on these videos and on the facts documented by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), South African representatives supported their complaint submitted to the International Court of Justice, which turned out to be “the first genocide broadcast live.” ".

Despite reporting campaigns against these videos, they remain visible online, while content related to what is happening in Gaza is regularly censored.

For its part, the non-governmental organization "Mamlah", which defends Palestinian digital rights, recorded approximately 3 million pieces of hateful content or incitement to hatred against Palestinians on the Internet, compared to at least 4,400 cases of censorship on the Palestinian side, Which the non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch considers “systematic surveillance.”

Source: French press