The Israel-Gaza war has been on for months now, leaving thousands of Palestinians and Israelis dead in its wake. While hundreds of gut-wrenching images of the war have surfaced since October 7, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, another set of disturbing images have come to people’s attention for a very different reason.
Disturbing images by Israeli soldiers
Israeli soldiers have allegedly been sharing images and videos depicting them toying with lingerie found in Palestinian homes, presenting a discordant visual narrative amidst escalating world attention on Israel’s campaign in Gaza amid the threat of an impending famine.
In one such video, an Israeli soldier can be seen sitting in an armchair in a room in Gaza, wearing a grin, holding a gun in one hand, and dangling white satin underwear over the open mouth of a fellow soldier reclining on a sofa, Reuters reported.
In another case, a different soldier could be seen sitting atop a tank, holding a female mannequin adorned in a black bra and helmet,saying, “I found a beautiful wife, serious relationship in Gaza, great woman.”
Reuters reported that these two videos were captured by Israeli soldiers and are just a few among numerous posts showcasing troops in Gaza exhibiting lingerie, mannequins, and occasionally both. The images of lingerie have garnered significant attention, with tens of thousands of views – nearly half a million in one instance – particularly after being shared by Younis Tirawi, who describes himself as a Palestinian reporter.
Tirawi shared the images with his over 100,000 followers on X between February 23 and March 1. When inquired about them, he shared the links to the IDF soldiers’ original posts. Reuters claims it independently verified eight posted on Instagram or YouTube.
“The posting of such images is demeaning to Palestinian women, and all women,” UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said.
Reuters forwarded information regarding the eight verified posts on YouTube or Instagram to the Israel Defense Forces, seeking their response.
Israel’s response
In reply, a spokesperson issued a statement indicating that the IDF investigates instances that diverge from the orders and expected conduct of IDF soldiers, including reports of videos uploaded to social media platforms.
“In cases where suspicion of a criminal offense arises that justifies opening an investigation, an investigation is opened by the Military Police,” it said.
The statement added that in certain examined cases, it has been determined that the expression or behavior of the soldiers in the video is inappropriate, and appropriate measures have been taken accordingly.
However, the IDF declined to specify whether it was addressing any of the images highlighted by Reuters, or whether any of the soldiers responsible have faced disciplinary action.
(With Reuters inputs)