Soldiers testify officer executed elderly Palestinian woman in Rafah

Israeli soldiers testified that an officer executed a sick, elderly Palestinian woman during her evacuation from Rafah in southern Gaza. The incident occurred in May 2024 while Battalion 50 of the Nahal Brigade was conducting ground operations. Witnesses describe the victim as frail and posing no threat to the troops involved in the military campaign.

The woman was detained alone during operations and placed in a military Humvee. She was handcuffed, blindfolded, and accompanied by three soldiers. During the transport toward the border, the convoy halted after the accompanying officer received a phone call. He removed the vulnerable woman from the vehicle and killed her before driving away.

When junior troops asked why he committed the act, the officer claimed he followed directives from his superior. The referenced commander is Major Menahem “Mandy” Yisri, also known as Lasri, who served as deputy commander of Battalion 50. This explanation points to command responsibility issues raised by the collected testimonies regarding the chain of authority.

This event adds to a grim record of alleged atrocities linked to Yisri. A prior report revealed he tied an explosive belt around an eighty-year-old Palestinian man’s neck. The elder was used as a human shield before being left in a combat zone with his wife. Other troops subsequently shot the couple dead shortly after their release from captivity.

Despite these serious allegations, Yisri received a promotion soon after the incident and joined elite command courses. He pursued higher education funded by the armed forces. This career advancement suggests a culture of impunity surrounding alleged violations. While an investigation was announced for the earlier human shield case, soldiers state no one has been questioned yet.