Israeli soldier sentenced to 20 days in jail for posting Gaza firing video

The soldier, from the Golani Brigade, posted the video himself on social media, showing him firing shots toward Gaza, which he said was done 'in honour of the new year'

An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier has been sentenced to 20 days in prison after he posted a video of himself firing multiple shots toward Gaza, The Times of Israel reported citing Kan public broadcaster.

 

According to the report, the military will also decide whether the soldier can return to combat duty after completing his sentence.

 

The IDF said the video showed “a severe incident that does not accord with the values of the IDF and with the standards expected of combat soldiers and their commanders".

 

Israeli soldiers celebrating New Year's by randomly firing at civilian homes in Gaza.  pic.twitter.com/ZfYvasRHwU

— Daniel Lambert (@dlLambo) January 4, 2026

What did the Gaza firing video show?

 

The video was first uploaded by the soldier himself on social media. He is a member of the Golani Brigade. The footage showed him firing toward Gaza “in honour of the new year”.

 

 

The Ynet news website reported that the video was filmed on December 26. It later spread widely online, largely after being shared by pro-Palestinian activists, and accumulated millions of views.

 

In the video, the soldier was not wearing a helmet or a ballistic vest, indicating that he was not engaged in active combat at the time. 

Why did the IDF take disciplinary action?

 

As the video circulated, the IDF condemned the act and said it would open an investigation. The military said the conduct violated operational discipline and safety norms.

 

Over the past two years of the Gaza war, social media activity by IDF soldiers and reservists has come under increased scrutiny. According to the report, activists have monitored online posts and, in some cases, sought legal action against soldiers when they travel abroad.

 

The IDF has previously taken action in similar cases involving unauthorised conduct.

IDF probes soldiers' social media conduct

 

In March 2025, the IDF removed a platoon of reservists from Gaza after a video showed them firing weapons during the reading of the Book of Esther on Purim.

 

In May 2024, the military opened an investigation after soldiers filmed themselves burning books, including a Quran, during operations in Gaza. Earlier, images of soldiers posing with lingerie found in Gaza also drew widespread criticism online.

 

An internal IDF investigation released in January 2025 found that discipline had weakened as the conflict continued, citing “operational fatigue” and a “loosening of discipline and safety in the various units”.

Israel strikes Hezbollah, Hamas sites in Lebanon

 

Separately, Israel’s air force carried out strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday, targeting what it described as infrastructure sites linked to Hezbollah and Hamas.

 

The strikes came nearly two hours after the Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, issued warnings on X, stating that the military would hit targets in two villages in the eastern Bekaa Valley and two villages in southern Lebanon.

 

The attacks occurred days before Lebanon’s army commander was expected to brief the government on efforts to disarm Hezbollah near the Israeli border.

 

(With agency inputs)