An Israeli journalistic investigation has brought to light allegations that an Israeli military officer shot and killed a Palestinian elderly woman in the Rafah area, despite prior orders for her evacuation. The report, published by the outlet ‘The Hottest Place in Hell,’ relies on testimonies from soldiers who served in the 50th Battalion of the Nahal Brigade. According to the investigation, the woman was ill and weak, posing no threat to troops, which led commanders to decide on her transfer out of the active combat zone.
Soldiers from the Nahal Brigade placed the woman inside a Humvee belonging to a logistical convoy heading away from the area. She was described as being bound and blindfolded, accompanied by three soldiers during transport. However, while en route, the officer accompanying the convoy received a phone call. Following this communication, he ordered the vehicle to stop and removed the woman from the Humvee. Testimonies state that the officer then fired upon her after she was taken out of the vehicle, resulting in her death, before continuing his journey with the rest of the convoy.
The investigation identified the officer as Menachem ‘Mandy’ Leshi, who held the position of deputy commander of the 50th Battalion at the time. Leshi denied knowledge of the incident when contacted by the publication. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the military addresses claims regarding conduct inconsistent with law or military orders under the prevailing circumstances, noting that some allegations are currently under review.
Following the publication of the report, the Israeli Military Police announced the opening of an inquiry into the allegations, including the killing of the elderly woman and other accusations attributed to Leshi during his service in Gaza. The Military Police requested that the media outlet provide its investigative materials and sought to determine if the witnesses were willing to give formal statements. This preliminary examination precedes any official criminal investigation.
Leshi’s name is also linked to a previous investigation by the same outlet, published in February 2025, which alleged the use of an approximately 80-year-old Palestinian man as a human shield in Gaza. According to soldier testimonies in that earlier report, Leshi ordered soldiers to tie an explosive fuse around the elderly man’s neck, forcing him to advance ahead of troops to inspect buildings suspected of harboring explosives or fighters. He was allegedly threatened with execution if he disobeyed. The man reportedly remained in this condition for hours before being released with his wife; other accounts suggest an Israeli force later fired upon them, unaware of their presence.
In response to these accusations, the IDF reiterated that its orders prohibit using civilians as human shields or compelling them to participate in military activities in any form. The military denied the existence of any policy sanctioning such practices and confirmed that investigations are conducted whenever there are suspicions of behavior violating laws or military directives. Several inquiries have been opened during the war regarding potential violations. The allegations against Leshi remain under military review, with no judicial ruling establishing his criminal responsibility for these incidents.
