From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 10, 2026
‘They don’t want us to kill anyone’: IDF troops in Gaza tell of new rules of engagement against Hamas
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip tell Channel 12 that the rules of engagement have changed dramatically in the wake of the Board of Peace disarmament roadmap.
“In the past week, something meaningful changed in the concept,” says a soldier. “They are trying as much as possible to avoid friction in general on the Yellow Line.”
Soldiers often refer to the current IDF line of control as the Yellow Line, though it has moved further into formerly Hamas-controlled territory than the original Yellow Line.
“They don’t want us to kill anyone.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected the 15-point plan, but there are quiet agreements with the Board of Peace that the IDF will drastically rein in operations.
“Until a week ago, there were different rules of engagement,” says an unnamed soldier.
“Even someone who represents a threat but hasn’t crossed Israeli-held lines, we need approval from the chief of staff to kill him,” the soldier continues.
“We are hoping the statistics happen to someone else,” he says — apparently arguing that the new rules will cause soldiers to be killed — expressing frustration that IDF units are largely static in Gaza and are not on the offensive.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Office denies that the rules of engagement have changed.
The Times of Israel Community.