The division commander then approved an alternative method, said the soldier, without saying what the method was. It’s unclear who made the decision to fire tank rounds, which can cause more damage than drone strikes.
Oded Ailam, former head of the counterterrorism division in Israel’s Mossad spy service, said while commanders on the ground have a degree of freedom, they don’t have a “blank check.”
“If the change is significant, particularly where it may affect the risk to civilians, it must remain within the authority, rules and intent of the original order, or require renewed approval,” he said.
Israeli troops have killed over 200 journalists in the war
Israeli troops have killed 207 Palestinian reporters in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza, giving Palestinian journalists a critical role.
Sara Qudah, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa regional director, said Israel has a responsibility to conduct a prompt, transparent investigation. “When journalists can be killed without credible accountability, it becomes harder and more dangerous for the press to document conflicts and for the public to know what is happening,” she said.
The lack of answers has been agonizing for families.
Ezz al-Din al-Masri said he doesn’t understand why his brother, Hussam, was killed. “Unfortunately, we found that the blood of journalists in Gaza is cheap … as if the rules protecting journalists do not apply,” he said.
Dagga, 33, had just taken her last photos before rushing up the stairs. Whenever her father, Riyad Abu Dagga, visits her grave, he carries her phone and camera — she always had them with her. He visits her apartment near Nasser Hospital and cries.
“Had any of the daughters of the soldiers been killed unjustly, they would not have stayed silent,” he said of the Israelis. “They would want to know why.”