BBC Recounts Ordeal of Israeli Soldier Forced to Shoot Flour Bags After No-One Left to Kill

In an apparent bid to counter accusations of pro-Israel bias, the BBC has released a special report spotlighting what it describes as the often-overlooked hardships faced by Israeli soldiers in Gaza. The segment centres on 22-year-old Makhrum Bakhtiyalov, abruptly torn from his job at a climate-controlled PlayStation lounge and deployed into the dust, heat, and chaos of Al-Mawasi.

According to the BBC, Bakhtiyalov’s ordeal reveals serious institutional neglect. “I came here to defend myself, not to be lonely,” he said. “I assumed this live-action PUBG simulation would keep generating targets like knees, kidneys, heads. But I’ve missed every ounce of the action. My comrades have apparently shot most of the Palestinians coming here for aid.

“Yesterday I shouted at a sack of flour to evacuate the area. It refused. I had no choice but to open fire.”

Experts have warned that a scarcity of Palestinians to kill is taking a serious psychological toll, with some soldiers reportedly firing at inanimate objects out of mounting frustration.

The documentary went on to consult the BBC’s mental health correspondent what such conditions mean for Israeli youth. He warned of an emerging crisis.

 “This shortage of viable human targets is disrupting soldiers’ ability to discharge ammunition responsibly,” said Dr Ben Shipman. “With fire belts and quadcopters having cleared the aid zones of anything moving, there’s a real risk of soldiers turning on each other if the Palestinian deficit isn’t urgently addressed.”

In its conclusion, the BBC framed these incidents—notably unacknowledged by the Israeli government—as evidence of the network’s editorial neutrality. The broadcaster also teased an upcoming documentary episode that will explore the ethical conundrum faced by soldiers attempting to reconcile the twin burdens of self-defence and safeguarding humanitarian aid from overwhelming crowds of starved, bombed Palestinians.