The Israeli military has imposed new restrictions on media coverage related to soldiers in combat zones, driven by concerns about war crimes trials in Gaza.
Recently, a reserve Israeli soldier on vacation in Brazil faced allegations from a pro-Palestinian group of committing war crimes during his duty in Gaza. Following the accusation, a Brazilian court ordered the federal police to launch an investigation. In response, the soldier hastily left Brazil.
This incident prompted the Israeli military to introduce stricter regulations on media reporting about soldiers serving in conflict zones.
The Israeli military’s decision to impose new restrictions on media coverage stems from concerns that reserve soldiers who served in Gaza might face legal action for alleged war crimes if they travel abroad.
Regarding the new media restrictions, Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters that under the new rules, media outlets interviewing Israeli soldiers ranked colonel or below are prohibited from revealing their full names or showing their faces. Similar regulations have already been in place for Israeli pilots and members of special forces units.
Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani stated that the directive is aimed at protecting Israeli soldiers. The new guidelines are intended to safeguard them from incidents instigated by anti-Israel activists worldwide.
Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani further mentioned that under existing military regulations, Israeli soldiers are prohibited from posting videos or other images from the battlefield on social media. Additionally, long-standing rules and guidelines are already in place for Israeli soldiers traveling abroad.
Last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes in Gaza. This move triggered a strong reaction from Israel. The ICC also issued an arrest warrant against Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri (Mohammed Deif), a key figure in the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance group.
