"Israel Loosened Its Rules to Bomb Hamas Fighters, Killing Many More Civilians" NYTimes. Key Points and Conclusion.

 

Key Points:

1. Change in Rules of Engagement:

On October 7, 2023, Israeli military leadership allowed mid-ranking officers to target lower-ranking Hamas fighters, in addition to high-priority targets like senior commanders and arms depots.

Officers were authorized to risk up to 20 civilian casualties per airstrike, a significant departure from previous limitations.

2. Context of the Change:

The decision followed a major Hamas-led attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis, injured many others, and took around 250 hostages.

The attack also raised fears of an invasion by Hezbollah, prompting drastic measures.

3. High Civilian Cost:

The policy resulted in one of the deadliest bombing campaigns of the 21st century, targeting areas where militants were surrounded by civilians, including homes.

4. Weakened Safeguards:

Israel relaxed systems designed to minimize civilian harm.

Previously, many strikes required assurance of zero civilian casualties or were limited to a maximum of five.

5. Investigative Findings:

The New York Times found systemic flaws, including:

Poor methods for selecting targets and assessing civilian risks.

Limited post-strike reviews and accountability for civilian casualties.

Ignored warnings from both Israeli ranks and U.S. military officials.

6. Scale of Bombing Campaign:

The airstrikes targeted thousands of locations, causing widespread destruction in Gaza and substantial civilian casualties.

7. Prime Minister's Statement:

Benjamin Netanyahu declared an intent to turn Hamas strongholds into "rubble," underscoring the scale and intensity of the military campaign.

8. Expanded Military Targets and Civilian Risks:

Israel broadened the scope of military targets in Gaza, including less significant ones, and increased permissible civilian casualties per strike.u

Senior commanders occasionally approved strikes risking over 100 civilian casualties.

9. Intensified Bombing Campaign:

Nearly 30,000 munitions were fired into Gaza in the first seven weeks of the war, exceeding the total used in the next eight months combined.

By November 2023, more than 15,000 Palestinians were killed during the campaign's peak intensity.

10. Flawed Targeting Methods:

Reliance on unproven AI systems and statistical models for target selection led to increased errors.

Some strikes targeted areas hours after last surveillance, heightening risks of hitting civilians.

11. Reduced Precautions:

Israel minimized the use of warning shots ("roof knocks") and often used imprecise or larger bombs, causing widespread destruction.

Precautions in previous conflicts, like thorough surveillance and smaller munitions, were less frequently employed.

12. Evolving Rules of Engagement:

From November 2023, Israel reduced permissible civilian casualties for certain targets and conserved ammunition, but the rules remained more permissive than before the war.

13. Civilian Toll and Global Reaction:

The Gazan health ministry reported over 45,000 deaths, with Israel disputing the figures. The International Court of Justice has been examining accusations of genocide against Israel.

14. Israeli Justifications:

Israel cited the unprecedented scale of Hamas’s attacks, militant use of civilian areas, and Gaza’s tunnel networks as factors necessitating revised rules.

The military maintains that it adheres to international law by employing evacuation warnings and precautionary measures.

15. Case Study – Al-Najjar Family:

A strike targeting Shaldan al-Najjar, a Hamas-allied commander, killed 20 family members, including a 2-month-old infant. In contrast, a similar strike on his home nine years earlier avoided civilian casualties.

16. Hamas's Tactics and Impact on Civilians:

Hamas operates within civilian areas, using residential buildings, medical facilities, and schools for military purposes.

The group hides weapons, fighters, and tunnel entrances in civilian locations, increasing risks to noncombatants.

17. Israeli Military Protocols:

Israel typically employs a multilayered oversight system to ensure compliance with international law during strikes.

Officers assess proportionality and feasibility of precautions to minimize civilian harm but exercise significant discretion due to vague legal standards.

18. Relaxed Standards After Oct. 7, 2023:

Following the Hamas attack, Israeli officers reportedly became less strict in adhering to protocols, leading to widespread destruction and high civilian casualties.

The phrase "harbu darbu" was used to describe a mood of unrestrained attacks within the military.

19. Decreased Use of Precautions:

The use of "roof knocks" to warn civilians became optional and was rarely employed.

Strikes were conducted without warnings, leading to mass casualties, as in the case of Shaldan al-Najjar, where 20 family members and neighbors were killed in a single strike.

20. Increased Risk Tolerance:

On Oct. 7, Israel raised the maximum allowable civilian casualties per strike to 20, which became the standard.

Strikes targeting Hamas leaders, such as Ibrahim Biari, occasionally endangered over 100 civilians.

21. Expanded Targeting Criteria:

Military targets included not just fighters and weapons stockpiles but also infrastructure like tunnel entrances, often located in homes, and financial operatives suspected of handling Hamas funds.

22. Civilian Toll:

Airwars reported 136 strikes in October 2023 that killed at least 15 people each, nearly five times the number during comparable periods elsewhere globally.

Daily casualty caps, such as one allowing up to 500 civilian deaths per day, were introduced but lifted two days later.

23. Widespread Use of Large Munitions:

Israel deployed 1,000- and 2,000-pound bombs, 90% of which were American-made, contributing to significant destruction.

The high usage rate led to a shortage of precision-guided kits, increasing reliance on less precise munitions.

24. Volume of Munitions:

Nearly 50,000 munitions were fired in the first seven weeks of the conflict.

This included approximately 15,000 in October and November 2023 alone.

Monthly munitions usage later dropped to under 2,500 by February–May 2024.

25. Dependence on Older Weapons:

Pilots increasingly relied on unguided, less accurate Vietnam-era bombs due to shortages of precision-guided munitions.

These older bombs sometimes failed to detonate, increasing risks.

26. Targeting Decisions:

One-ton bombs were used to destroy entire buildings, even when smaller munitions could have sufficed.

For example, a U.S.-made JDAM completely destroyed a three-story building, killing multiple members of the Najjar family.

27. "Target Bank" Depletion:

Israel’s "target bank" of pre-vetted locations was exhausted within days.

Intelligence officers had to quickly identify new targets, often relying on AI tools and phone data, which sometimes led to errors and civilian casualties.

28. Errors and Civilian Impact:

Outdated databases and imprecise phone tracking methods contributed to targeting errors.

Civilian casualties often resulted from misidentifications, such as the Malaka family tragedy, where 42 people were killed in a strike based on flawed intelligence.

29. Adjustments in Rules of Engagement:

After initial phases, stricter rules required higher authorization for strikes risking civilian lives.

Despite these measures, many strikes remained deadly, with loose engagement protocols compared to prewar norms.

Conclusion:

While Israel has justified its military operations in Gaza as necessary for targeting Hamas and other militant groups, the methods and scale of these operations have resulted in significant civilian casualties and destruction. Key factors contributing to these outcomes include:

1. High Volume of Attacks: The unprecedented number of munitions fired, particularly in the early weeks of the conflict, led to widespread destruction and civilian deaths.

2. Reliance on Less Accurate Weaponry: Shortages of precision-guided munitions forced the use of outdated and less accurate weapons, increasing risks to civilians

3. Errors in Targeting: Flawed intelligence systems, outdated databases, and rushed decision-making led to numerous civilian casualties due to misidentifications and imprecise assessments.

4. Relaxed Rules of Engagement: Changes in protocols allowed higher thresholds for civilian casualties, further exacerbating harm to non-combatants.

5. Insufficient Accountability: Minimal disciplinary action against military personnel involved in erroneous strikes reflects a lack of rigorous accountability.

Although some measures were later introduced to tighten oversight and reduce civilian risks, they were often too little, too late. The conflict underscores the ethical, legal, and operational challenges of conducting military operations in densely populated civilian areas, raising concerns about proportionality, precision, and adherence to international laws of war.