On an unassuming man – Der Spiegel:

‘"Sergeant D." seems quite relaxed. Right foot crossed over his left knee, arms at rest. The expression on his face is open, almost expectant, as he faces the interviewer in an amiable manner. More than anything, he’s not fidgeting, as most people do if they aren’t used to being in front of the camera, almost motionless as he listens to the questions. He occasionally nods, but otherwise, he is still.
There are several possible reasons for his demeanor. Perhaps the man, now 25 years old, is extremely calm by nature. Or maybe he has learned to have complete control of his body.
It could be both.
"Sergeant D.," after all, is a sniper in the Israeli army, trained to stay in a single position for hours at a time so he can strike his target. This story focuses on him and his comrade, a young man from Munich – because they are suspected of having committed war crimes in the Gaza Strip.’

(…)

‘It is a disturbing interview. "Sergeant D." speaks on camera of the people that his comrades, he and Daniel G. shot to death during their deployment in Gaza. They are, he claims, responsible for at least 100 to 120 deaths, which he says is "extremely impressive."’

(…)

‘On October 7, 2023, several thousand attackers from the terror organization Hamas and its allies assaulted southern Israel. The men forced their way into towns, slaughtered the residents of kibbutzim and massacred visitors to a large music festival. Most of their victims were civilians, many of them children. They raped women and took more than 250 hostages. Fifty of them are thought to still be in the Gaza Strip; more than half are likely dead. That day, with around 1,200 victims, was the largest mass murder of Jews since the end of the Holocaust.’

(…)

‘During the initial months of the war, the international community was gripped by horror – and was largely united in solidarity with Israel. The war against Hamas was accepted as necessary, and there was widespread hope for a proportionate response by the Israeli army, which Netanyahu repeatedly claimed was the "most moral army in the world."’

(…)

‘If it’s true what "Sergeant D." says about his deployment and the targeted killings in Gaza, he is not only incriminating himself, but also his partner. "Sergeant D." candidly opens up about something of which the Israeli army has been accused for some time but has vehemently denied: that it’s soldiers allegedly fires on civilians, or at least unarmed Palestinians. And that the practice is accepted by the military.
Should it be true, it would be a violation of international law, which makes a clear distinction between military and civilian targets. A violation that must be punished. Daniel G.’s involvement would also mean that a soldier from Germany apparently took part in such shootings, potentially making it a case for German federal prosecutors. Proceedings have already been launched in Belgium against one of G.’s comrades.’

(…)

‘There are photos in circulation of Daniel G. in uniform, showing him posing in full battle gear or gazing in concentration through his rifle’s scope. In one image, an emblem on his helmet can be seen, reading "72 Virgins Express" – a reference to the 72 virgins that, as some Muslims are convinced, await a martyr in paradise.’

(…)

‘DER SPIEGEL was unable to reach Daniel G., and his parents have instructed their lawyer to prohibit any contact with them. In reporting this story, DER SPIEGEL has thus spoken to those who have known him throughout his life: former teachers, friends and classmates. Hardly any of them wanted to speak openly about Daniel G. or be quoted by name. But they all agree on one thing: Daniel G. was an unassuming young man.’

(…)

‘In a video clip apparently produced at this time, a destroyed road can be seen from the perspective of a drone. In the center of the image lies a motionless man, with another bending over him and grabbing for his hands. Then, a shot is fired, and the second man falls backwards. He is bleeding from his head.
"That was my first elimination," says »Sergeant D.« later in his video interview. He doesn’t know who it was that he shot, he says, but he also doesn’t seem much to care. "He wasn’t armed, but he was in a combat zone. And he didn’t have good intentions."
DER SPIEGEL and its partners were able to identify the man apparently shot by "Sergeant D." His mother and four other relatives say he was a 19-year-old man named Salem Montasser Doghmosh.
According to them, Salem was trying to save his big brother, 26-year-old Mohammed Montasser Doghmosh – the man who was lying motionless on the ground at the beginning of the video. The brothers were not terrorists, the family members insist. They collected plastic and metal to sell as a way of ensuring the family’s survival in the war, says their mother. The two presented no danger to the Israeli army, their family members say. The Israeli military declined to comment.’

(…)

‘he text that every Israeli soldier is required to internalize during training is called "The Spirit of the IDF," better known as the Code of Ethics. It defines four central principles the army should adhere to. The defense of the state, its citizens and residents is the first principle, followed by love of the homeland and loyalty to the state and its laws.
Human dignity is third.
A soldier’s actions are derived from the recognition of human dignity, the codex reads. The troops must also respect the value of human life, even in battle, according to the document, in addition to seeking to protect human dignity and only using violence to the extent necessary. Israel and its armed forces frequently refer to the codex when rejecting criticism of its conduct of war.’

(…)

‘"Sergeant D." also speaks in his video interview of an imaginary line in the warzone that separates life from death. Another soldier recently said on Sky News that such dividing lines have become standard in the Gaza war. "Sergeant D." says that those who cross the line will be shot – whether they are armed or not. The problem for the Palestinians is, in the words of "Sergeant D.": "There is a line that we define. They don’t know where this line is, but we do."
Which means that the Israeli soldiers draw an arbitrary line and shoot everybody who crosses it. An approach that Asa Kasher finds horrifying. "A civilian should not automatically become a target just because he is in an area that has been declared a combat zone."’

(…)

‘Germany feels closely tied to Israel, with a special responsibility for the country stemming from the Holocaust. "The existence and security of Israel are and remain our reason of state," said Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his first keynote speech after being inaugurated.
At the same time, however, Germany considers itself bound by humanitarian international law. According to the principle of universal jurisdiction in international criminal law, investigations into crimes against humanity or war crimes can be initiated in Germany even if neither the perpetrator nor the victim nor the scene of the crime are located in Germany. That principle has been invoked in Germany on previous occasions to try perpetrators of torture in Syria and African warlords.’

(…)

‘And at least one criminal complaint has already been filed against Daniel G. Public prosecutors in Munich forwarded it to federal prosecutors in January 2025. DER SPIEGEL has learned, however, that the case was quickly closed – "due to insufficient initial suspicion."
Neither Daniel G. nor "Sergeant D." were interrogated.’

Read the article here.

I don’t believe that Daniel G will ever face prosecution.

It’s clear though that killing zones are war crimes. If you think you can shoot anybody who crosses an imaginary line the war crime becomes inevitable.

Also clear is that the testimonies, the stories coming out of Gaza are just about to begon. At least that’s what I hope.

On the other an Israeli scholar recently told me: ‘History proves that genocide is something you can get away with.’