From Hunger Traps to Corpse Lines: Meet the Israeli Commander Behind Gaza’s Most Horrifying Atrocities

Gaza (Quds News Network)- Brigadier General Yehuda Vach, commander of Israel’s 252nd Division, is at the center of a growing list of war crimes reports. Several reports revealed that he was responsible for ordering mass killings of Palestinian civilians, targeting aid centers, and manipulating humanitarian aid to serve military goals.

A recent investigation by Haaretz revealed that Israeli soldiers under Vach’s command received explicit orders to shoot starved Palestinians who approached so-called ‘aid distribution centers”, even if unarmed and non-threatening.

“It’s a killing field,” said one soldier. “They don’t shoot tear gas. They shoot everything—machine guns, grenades, mortars.”

The soldier described a daily routine of killing, where dozens of starved Palestinians are being gunned down each day. The operation was cynically nicknamed “Salty Fish”, a cruel adaptation of the children’s game “Green Light, Red Light.” Soldiers would fire when people approached and stop when they backed away.

The Gaza Government Media Office and rights organizations have long accused Vach of orchestrating policies of starvation, forced displacement, and mass slaughter. Vach has now become a symbol of Israel’s war machine in Gaza.

According to a previous Haaretz report, Vach allowed one of his brothers to form an unofficial demolition unit. Made up of soldiers and extremist settlers, the unit’s mission was simple: destroy as much of Gaza as possible. Vach granted them unrestricted access to the ‘Netzarim Corridor’, now known by witnesses as a “death highway.”

“Vach’s goal was to expel 250,000 Palestinians from northern Gaza,” said one Israeli officer. “He said they only learn when they lose land.”

Former soldiers testified that his troops were ordered to shoot anyone crossing designated lines, even children holding white flags. One recalled shooting a young Palestinian boy and celebrating the killing. When questioned, commanders responded: “There are no innocents in Gaza.”

Haaretz has recently revealed that Vach also played a key role in coordinating with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Documents suggest that Israel used the group’s limited food operations to avoid global backlash, while simultaneously enforcing hunger and chaos in Gaza.

One officer admitted that “GHF’s activities bought Israel time and international cover.” Footage from ‘aid centers’ is kept secret. The Israeli army does not release any public documentation of what happens near those sites.

“Gaza has become a backyard. A lawless place. No one cares anymore,” said one Israeli reservist.

On March 23, Vach oversaw a massacre of 15 Palestinian medics in Rafah. Soldiers from the Golani Brigade opened fire on two ambulance convoys and buried the dead, bodies and vehicles alike, in a mass grave. A UN team discovered the grave six days later.

The Hind Rajab Foundation had filed a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC), naming Brig. Gen. Yehuda Vach as a prime suspect in genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The complaint documents dozens of civilian deaths, including two teenage boys shot while searching for food.

General Yehuda Vach now stands accused of leading a military campaign of extermination, disguised behind humanitarian coordination. His name appears in multiple field reports, soldier testimonies, and human rights complaints. From mass shootings at food lines to covering up the murder of medics, his record reflects what many are calling a policy of destruction, not defense.