Weaponizing the sky: How Israeli forces turned consumer drones into lethal tools against Palestinians in Gaza

By bellecarter // 2025-07-15

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+972 Magazine and Local Call have revealed that the Israeli military is using commercially available drones, specifically the EVO drones from the Chinese company Autel, as weapons against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, turning low-cost photography drones into lethal tools.
These drones have been retrofitted with military attachments called "iron balls" to drop hand grenades remotely, targeting Palestinians, including children, to depopulate certain areas or prevent their return to evacuated zones.
The practice is widespread among Israeli military units in Gaza, with soldiers testifying to conducting numerous strikes over extended periods, often labeling all casualties as "terrorists" regardless of their actual threat level.
The Israeli military has established unmarked boundaries in Gaza and soldiers have testified that anyone crossing these arbitrary lines is subject to lethal force, with commanders defining "imaginary red lines" for targeting.
The investigation highlights the ethical dilemmas of using consumer technology for military purposes, with soldiers describing the drone warfare as making killing feel "sterile" and "like a video game," while Autel and the IDF have distanced themselves from the allegations, raising questions about accountability and the international response to such practices.

An investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call has uncovered the Israeli military's use of commercially available drones as weapons against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The probe, based on interviews with seven soldiers and officers who served in the region, reveals a systematic campaign to depopulate certain areas of Gaza by employing these low-cost, readily available drones as lethal tools. The Israeli military has primarily utilized EVO drones, manufactured by the Chinese company Autel, which are typically marketed for photography and cost around $3,000 on Amazon. These drones have been retrofitted with a military-issued attachment known as an "iron ball," allowing soldiers to drop hand grenades with the push of a button. This tactic has been employed to target Palestinians, including children, to force them from their homes or prevent their return to evacuated areas. The use of these drones has become a common practice among Israeli military units in Gaza. S., an Israeli soldier who served in the Rafah area, recounted how his battalion conducted dozens of drone strikes over a nearly 100-day period. According to daily reports, all Palestinians killed were listed as "terrorists," despite S.'s testimony that most were unarmed and posed no threat. "It was clear that they were trying to return to their homes – there's no question," S. said. "None of them were armed, and nothing was ever found near their bodies. We never fired warning shots. Not at any point." The investigation reveals that the Israeli military has established arbitrary boundaries in Gaza, which are not marked on the ground. Soldiers testified that anyone entering these off-limits areas is subject to lethal force. H., a soldier who served in the Nuseirat area, described how commanders would define imaginary red lines, and anyone who crossed them was "marked for death." (Related: More than 300 KILLED in 48 hours as Israel's assault on Gaza Strip continues.)

Targeting civilians and children

S. testified that Israeli troops deliberately targeted children on several occasions. In one instance, a boy entered an off-limits zone and was killed by a drone-dropped grenade. "He didn't do anything," S. said. "They claimed to have seen him standing and talking to people. That's it – they dropped a grenade from a drone." In another incident, soldiers tried to kill a child riding a bicycle far from their position. "In most cases, there was nothing you could tell yourself," S. continued. "There was no way to complete the sentence, 'We killed them because…'" Ynet military analyst Ron Ben-Yishai described the scene at an Israeli army base in northern Gaza as resembling a "miniature airport," with drones taking off and landing nonstop. Ben-Yishai quoted a military officer who explained that these drones were enforcing the army's expulsion orders and that anyone remaining in the area was automatically labeled a terrorist.

The sterility of drone warfare

H. described the use of drones as making killing "much more sterile," likening it to a video game. "There's a crosshair in the middle of the screen and you see a video image," he said. "You're hundreds of meters away, sometimes even a kilometer or more. Then you play with the joystick, see the target and drop [a grenade]. And it's even kind of cool. Except this video game kills people." Autel did not respond to requests for comment before publication. After the investigation was published, the company condemned any actions leading to civilian casualties and stated it had never sold drones to users in the Israeli region, including the military or the Ministry of Defense. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initially declined to answer detailed questions but later responded by stating it "categorically rejects the allegations that it is acting intentionally to harm uninvolved people." The IDF claims its orders prohibit shooting at uninvolved people and that allegations of law violations will be examined by authorized mechanisms. The use of commercially available drones as weapons in Gaza highlights the evolving nature of modern warfare and the ethical dilemmas posed by the militarization of consumer technology. The testimonies from soldiers and the accounts of Palestinian civilians paint a chilling picture of a conflict where the lines between military and civilian targets are increasingly blurred. Watch the video below showing an Israeli strike at Abu Helou School in Al-Bureij camp in central Gaza. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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Targeting civilians and children

The sterility of drone warfare

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