(MENAFN) Israel filed just three criminal indictments against its soldiers for Gaza-related offenses during the initial 18 months of its offensive on the enclave, despite extensive documentation of alleged violations, according to investigative reports. Of these cases, only one resulted in a conviction, while the remaining two are still pending.

The limited accountability includes the 2024 killing of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family in Gaza City. Although the military initially announced an investigation, it later claimed its forces were not present, despite satellite evidence suggesting otherwise. The case was transferred to the General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment, but no charges were filed.

Investigations describe Israel’s military justice system as slow, opaque, and structured to shield personnel from prosecution. “We’re not surprised at all by the low number of indictments,” said a rights group coordinator, noting that the few prosecutions that occur tend to be “anecdotes” resulting from chance or external pressure.

Records reviewed show that by mid-2024, the military had received 95 formal complaints related to Gaza, covering hundreds of incidents. A total of 1,456 “exceptional incidents” were referred to the fact-finding mechanism, yet only 11 were concluded. Meanwhile, 60 criminal investigations were opened by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, with just one indictment resulting in a seven-month prison sentence for a reservist accused of beating blindfolded Palestinian detainees. The two other indictments involve a soldier accused of looting and five soldiers charged with torturing a handcuffed detainee on surveillance footage.

Thousands of photos and videos posted online by soldiers show alleged abuses, including shootings of unarmed civilians, detainee mistreatment, looting, and arson, but these have produced minimal accountability. Large-scale strikes on hospitals, homes, and civilian infrastructure often go uninvestigated, as Israeli military doctrine classifies them as “lawful combat operations,” despite potential violations under international law.

Leaked Justice Ministry documents indicate that domestic inquiries are used to block foreign prosecutions by claiming incidents have been reviewed internally, even when no charges are filed. Human rights organizations have long criticized the system as incapable of holding soldiers or commanders accountable, with past reviews showing nearly all incidents closed without prosecutions.

Public support for prosecuting soldiers has also declined, with protests erupting in defense of accused personnel and high-profile officials facing political backlash for attempting accountability. Experts say impunity has shifted from a practical reality to a deliberate policy.

Since October 2023, the Gaza offensive has resulted in over 69,000 deaths, mostly women and children, and more than 170,700 injuries. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders over alleged atrocities committed during the conflict.

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