Skip to main content

IDF uses Gaza as a lab and showroom for new weapons and tech it plans to sell

Human rights campaigners claim that the Israeli army and defense corporations exploit the deadly Gaza protests to test and advertise hardware like drones, sniper rifles and 'smart' fences.

"The Israeli military industry exploits the occupation of Palestine, and specifically the siege on Gaza, as an arena to battle-test, invest in, and innovate military technology to later be marketed to the international community based on their effectiveness on Palestinian civilians," says the recent report penned by the 'Hamushim' human rights group, which campaigns against the occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The NGO is run by the Coalition of Women for Peace, an Israel-based group partnering with the Nobel Peace Prize-winning American Friends Service Committee.

The Israeli defense industry has a history of marketing its products after violent clashes with the Palestinians, the report says, noting that the bloody 2014 Israeli-Gaza conflict helped the companies to sell Hermes 900 Kochav drones, next-generation Hatzav tank shells and MPR500 'smart bombs.'

According to the activists, the 'Great March of Return' protests in Gaza have also helped Tel Aviv to promote new army tech. "Israeli media focused on the combat advantages of both in the military preparation for the Great March of Return and during the march itself," they wrote, noting that the clashes with the Palestinians provided an opportunity to test out Matrice 600 and Phantom 3 tear gas drones.

The models, dubbed 'Sea or Tears,' were specifically designed for the border police as crowd dispersal tools. Another type of drone introduced against the Palestinians is the so-called 'Shoko Drones,' or skunk water drones, which bombard protesters with foul-smelling and very sticky liquid. After the deployment of drones was deemed "successful," the army purchased "hundreds" of them, the activists write.

More:


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Jeremy Corbyn: Gaza, Nuclear War & Why Movements Must Rise Now

Empire Files   Abby Martin sits down with MP Jeremy Corbyn in Bogotá during The Hague Group summit on Gaza. They discuss the limits of electoral politics, the danger of nuclear weapons, the central role of the US and UK in the Gaza genocide, and more.  

Several states vow to take six 'concrete' steps against Israel at Bogota summit

Colombia says 'we will no longer allow international law to be treated as optional' as nations pledge to prevent arms transfers to Israel for Gaza atrocities   by Laura Gamba in Bogota  A coalition of states from around the world gathering in Bogota on Wednesday agreed to implement six measures to stop Israel's onslaught on Gaza and prevent violations of international law. The announcement came as part of an "emergency summit" in the Colombian capital, co-hosted by the governments of Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs of The Hague Group, to coordinate diplomatic and legal action to counter what they describe as "a climate of impunity" enabled by Israel and its powerful allies. The Hague Group is currently a bloc of eight states, launched on 31 January in the eponymous Dutch city, with the stated goal of holding Israel accountable under international law. The conference brought together more than 30 states, including Algeria; Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil...

New Corbyn Party Could Already TIE With Labour - Bombshell Poll

Owen Jones  

Media finally admits: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as US corporations profit

Geopolitical Economy Report   The New York Times finally admitted Israel is carrying out a genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, in an article by an Israeli scholar who studies the Holocaust. A United Nations report detailed how US corporations are profiting from these crimes, although the Trump administration responded by imposing sanctions on the UN expert who exposed it, Francesca Albanese. Ben Norton explains. 

Israel's DARK SECRET Genocide Economy EXPOSED

Double Down News   The REAL Reason US Sanctioned UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. 

Rule by the rich: Western governments are oligarchies, not democracies

Geopolitical Economy Report   Western governments claim to be models of democracy, and demonize their geopolitical adversaries as "authoritarian", but empirical evidence shows that the USA and European countries are oligarchies dominated by economic elites and large corporations. Billionaire Donald Trump is the perfect symbol of this, but he's by no means the only one. Ben Norton explains. 

How China & Russia help Global South countries defend against US imperialism: Nicaragua explains

Geopolitical Economy Report   China and Russia help formerly colonized countries in the Global South defend their sovereignty amid constant US meddling and aggression, argues Daniel Ortega, President of Nicaragua, a Latin American country that has been invaded and militarily occupied by the USA multiple times. Ben Norton reports on the history of the Sandinista Revolution, and the struggle against Western imperialism.  

ICC judges reject Israel's request to withdraw Netanyahu arrest warrant

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday rejected Israel's request to withdraw arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Israel made the request while the ICC reviews its challenge over the court's jurisdiction to weigh in on its war on Gaza. The decision, dated 9 July 2025, was published on the ICC website on Wednesday. The judges also rejected an Israeli request to suspend the court's broader investigation into alleged crimes in the occupied Palestinian Territories.   Full report:   https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/icc-judges-reject-israel-request-withdraw-netanyahu-arrest-warrant 

Israel Guilty Of SYSTEMATIC Sexual Violence Against Palestinians! – U.N. Confirms

The Jimmy Dore Show   A recent UN report titled "More Than a Human Can Bear" details systematic sexual and gender-based violence committed by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians since October 7. The report documents harrowing accounts of abuse, including rape, torture, and sexual humiliation of detainees—both men and women—by Israeli military and prison personnel. As Jimmy Dore points out, despite extensive evidence and testimonies, U.S. media and political figures have largely ignored or downplayed these findings, while continuing to repeat debunked claims about Hamas.  

Israel is a terrorist state

🚨⚡️ ISRAELI BOMBING OF SYRIA: Tel Aviv is now striking the heart of Damascus — not just military targets in Suwayda. Syria gave up the Golan. They gave everything. But Israel still bombs them. pic.twitter.com/MO91EdV2t8 — RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) July 16, 2025