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Palestinians look at smoke billowing from burning tyres during clashes with Israeli forces near the border between the Gaza strip and Israel Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images

In theory, at least, the Israeli military’s rules of engagement for demonstrations are largely clear.

In general terms - as has been exposed in court cases, commentaries and remarks by officials - soldiers are only permitted to open fire during a demonstration if lives are deemed to be under threat. In reality, however, that has often be interpreted either in omission or with such latitude that outside observers have criticised lethal live fire as excessive force.

In the case of the weeks-long Gaza fence protests, which culminated today with scores of fatalities from Israeli fire, that criticism has only become louder.



During the weeks leading up to Monday’s protests well over 40 Palestinians had been killed demonstrating close to Gaza’s border fence with little evidence that any posed a serious threat to Israeli troops.

According to Mitch Ginsburg, writing in the Times of Israel on Monday:

“The orders are meant to be simple and clear. They cannot read like a UN resolution. They are repeated to soldiers before each operational action, sunk into the soldiers’ minds like an anchor. “In the West Bank, for example, the rules often sound something like this: If you see someone with a weapon and feel in immediate danger, shoot to kill. If you feel danger but have time, instruct the person to stop, then fire once in the air, then fire to wound, then fire to kill.”

As Ginsburg points out, the rules of engagement are not set in stone, but their general thrust is supposed to avoid the risk civilian casualties and to be proportionate.

And Gaza has often been treated differently.

On Sunday, amid warnings that Palestinians would be allowed by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to try and storm the border fence, that distinction appears to have been seriously blurred with Israel warning in advance in an air drop of leaflets that Gaza residents they will be risking their lives if they approach the border during a planned mass protest and that it will “act against every attempt to damage the security fence or harm IDF soldiers or Israeli civilians.”

In other words, Israel had defined Monday’s demonstrations in advance – regardless of whether Israelis are targeted from the Gaza side of the fence – as a cover for Hamas ‘terrorism’ a point made clear in the leaflets.

“The Israel Defence Forces is determined to defend Israel’s citizens and sovereignty against Hamas’ attempts at terrorism undercover of violent riots,” the leaflets say. “Don’t get near the fence and don’t take part in Hamas’ show, which endangers you.”

According to the Israeli military at least one group on three men was fired on while reportedly placing an explosive device near the border fence, while an explosion near Jabaliya – which appeared to be an air strike – followed reported gun fire from that area.