Uriah: Irregular Israeli settler group destroying homes in Gaza under army supervision

The Hebrew daily Haaretz revealed Wednesday that an irregular group known as “Uriah”—made up largely of illegal Israeli settlers from the occupied West Bank—has been operating in the besieged Gaza Strip under the supervision of the Israeli occupation army, systematically destroying Palestinian homes.

According to the report, the group has been active for over a year, carrying out demolition operations that endanger the lives of both soldiers and unarmed Palestinian civilians.

Haaretz noted that the group escorts soldiers into tunnels and buildings that may contain explosives, and in some cases has used Palestinians as human shields. The extent of its formal subordination to the Israeli army remains unclear.

The so-called “Uriah Force” is identified as one of several demolition units operating in Gaza. It is reportedly connected to Bezalel Zinni, the brother of newly appointed Shin Bet chief David Zinni.

Witnesses said the group has been seen across Gaza operating heavy machinery “with one purpose: destruction.”

Haaretz further reported that the force is not part of an organised military framework but is instead composed of small, irregular units formed through independent initiatives. Civilians—many of them illegal settlers—are recruited into the reserve forces via contracting companies, tasked with demolishing homes, tunnels, and infrastructure.

According to sources cited by the newspaper, the mission of the group can be summed up simply as: “destroying Gaza.”