Editor's Notes: The IDF needs to be accountable for unanswered military queries

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) must be held responsible for unanswered inquiries regarding military operations, according to a recent editorial in The Jerusalem Post. On December 2024, the Post inquired about two strikes in Gaza that resulted in the deaths of Hamas commanders Ibrahim Biari and Wisam Farhat. Reports suggested significant civilian casualties, prompting the Post's correspondent, Yonah Jeremy Bob, to request more details.

The army provided an explanation of its approval procedures, stating there were no fixed casualty ratios and that commanders had to evaluate each strike's proportionality. However, the Post found that some officials either refused to provide specifics or claimed they did not know and would get back to the correspondent, who never received the information.

Nearly two years later, the documentary NAZA reignited the controversy by alleging that Israeli targeting decisions had been based on anticipated civilian deaths, a claim the IDF deemed unverifiable. The documentary's directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, based their allegations on anonymous testimony. The IDF maintains that humans authorize targeting decisions, and officials have had ample time to investigate, consult their legal counsel, and determine what can be released.

The Post believes that the IDF is one of the most humane armies in the world. In November 2023, Palestinian dentist Mahmoud Shaheen told the BBC that Israeli intelligence officers had maintained contact with him for hours while he helped evacuate residents from the al-Zahra neighborhood in Gaza. When Shaheen needed more time, the officers allowed it, and when his phone battery ran low, an officer contacted him through a neighbor's phone.

The BBC corroborated Shaheen's account through community posts and satellite imagery but could not independently verify the calls.

In September 2024, humanitarian pauses between Israel and Hamas allowed health workers to vaccinate nearly 560,000 children against polio. The World Health Organization documented nine-hour daily pauses in designated areas, and Palestinian medical teams and international agencies administered the vaccines with Israeli cooperation. However, the Post urges reporters to focus on these efforts while acknowledging Hamas's use of civilian areas, challenging commentary that lacks interest in these humanitarian acts.

The Post also criticizes the Israeli military's response to the 2024 incident involving seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed by an IDF airstrike. The IDF found serious errors and breaches of procedure, dismissed two officers, and reprimanded senior commanders. The organization demanded an independent investigation, but the Post questions whether any follow-up measures have been implemented to ensure the changes' effectiveness.

The article draws parallels to instances involving the United States, highlighting that American officials faced similar questioning after civilian casualties in strikes, yet no disciplinary actions were taken. The Post emphasizes that the same level of scrutiny should be applied to Israeli operations, subject to the same evidence-based assessment.

Historically, journalists have faced challenges in obtaining information from Israeli officials. For example, it took four years for Dutch journalists to expose Dutch responsibility for a 2015 strike on an ISIS bomb factory in Hawija, Iraq, where secondary explosions killed 70 civilians. The Defense Ministry had access to casualty information before the public became aware. Similarly, the Post recalls the case from the Netherlands where officials were held accountable for withholding information for an extended period.

In light of these ongoing investigations and the desire for transparency, the Post advocates for opening more of Israel's October 7 archive to foreign journalists. This could help expose Israeli failures and hold the military accountable for its actions. The Post stresses that the full record of the Biari and Farhat strikes will determine whether the decisions are vindicated or flawed.

If mistakes are discovered, including serious ones, the Post insists on publishing them to provide answers for the families of the deceased and to ensure Israelis are informed about their army's established procedures. The IDF's protection of intelligence sources and methods is crucial, but officials should explain which questions can be answered and what prevents them from addressing the rest.