A New York Times investigation has exposed how Israel fundamentally altered its military protocols after 7 October 2023 to enable widespread civilian casualties in Gaza, effectively erasing civilian protections under the laws of war. Through its systematic dismantling of safeguards and adoption of new AI targeting protocols, the apartheid state effectively adopted an understanding of the laws of war that cancels the category of civilian to serve what has been described as a war of annihilation against Palestinians.

The investigation found that Israel’s military leadership issued an unprecedented order allowing mid-ranking officers to approve strikes that could kill up to 20 civilians – a dramatic increase from previous limits of 5-10. For some period, forces were permitted to kill up to 500 civilians daily before this cap was removed entirely, demonstrating a systematic disregard for Palestinian life. …..more