DayofPal– Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed in an investigation that Colonel Yehuda Vach, commander of the Israeli army’s 252nd Division, has been carrying out assaults on Gaza independently, allowing his brother to form a special destruction unit without an official oversight.
An Israeli officer revealed that Yehuda Vach allowed one of his brothers to assemble a group of soldiers and settlers, akin to the “Hilltop Youth” settlers, with a mission to inflict widespread destruction in Gaza, including demolishing numerous buildings.
Vach reportedly granted his brothers special privileges, such as unrestricted access to the Netzarim corridor in southern Gaza without any registration or military oversight.
The officer stated that Vach aimed to forcibly displace 250,000 Palestinians from northern Gaza, allegedly claiming, “Palestinians only learn their lesson when they lose land.”
Multiple Israeli officers also confirmed that Vach explicitly stated his intention to use force to empty northern Gaza of its residents, a plan he pursued independently.
Soldiers from the 252nd Division reported large-scale demolition operations in the Netzarim corridor, with orders from Vach to destroy buildings, even those deemed to have no strategic value. One soldier disclosed that the division’s objective was to demolish 60 buildings daily to ensure the area remained uninhabitable.
A senior officer added that Vach discussed plans to relocate all northern Gaza residents to the south. He aimed for the generals’ plan, which he believed would result in victory when northern Gaza was cleared of its population.
The officer described the operation as the first in which soldiers were granted full freedom of action on the ground. Since October 5, Israel has launched a devastating assault on northern Gaza, resulting in thousands of Palestinian deaths, the displacement of tens of thousands, and the destruction of hospitals and critical infrastructure under a severe blockade.
This genocidal campaign against Gaza has persisted for 15 months, causing over 153,000 casualties and extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, and medical facilities.
Israeli forces have killed at least 88 Palestinians in a day across Gaza. They bombed the enclave more than 100 times in just three days, killing more than 200 Palestinians, with women and children making up a majority of the victims.
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