Gaza: The Israeli military has been retrofitting commercial drones made by the Chinese tech company DJI to carry out lethal strikes and surveillance operations across Gaza, including attacks on hospitals and civilian shelters, according to reports.
The investigation documents how various DJI drone models, originally designed for peaceful civilian or agricultural use, are now being used to drop bombs, track individuals, and support urban warfare strategies.
Among the most heavily adapted is the DJI Agras, a drone originally designed for agricultural spraying. Capable of carrying significant payloads with precision flight control, this drone has been repurposed by Israeli forces to deliver explosives deep into urban areas.
Documented incidents include a July 2024 bombing of a Turkish charity building near a school in Jabalia and a November 2024 strike on a civilian area in Beit Lahia, both involving Agras drones. In both cases, civilians were present and the strikes caused fear and destruction in populated zones.
Other DJI models used in military operations include the DJI Matrice 300 and 600—employed for tear gas dispersal and aerial reconnaissance—and the DJI Mavic and Avata, smaller drones now used to scout tunnel networks and monitor Palestinian detainees.
Despite DJI's stated policy against the use of its products for harm, and its previous action to halt drone sales during the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, the company has not suspended sales to Israel. DJI had restricted its drones' flight zones and altitudes during that conflict, citing its commitment to peace, yet has not applied the same measures in the case of Gaza.
In response to reports, DJI reiterated its standard statement: “Our products are for peaceful and civilian use only, and we absolutely deplore and condemn the use of [DJI] products to cause harm anywhere in the world.” However, when asked directly whether it would halt sales to Israel or introduce similar restrictions as it did during the Ukraine conflict, DJI offered no reply and has taken no visible action.
The documented adaptation of DJI drones for attacks on civilian infrastructure and their role in surveillance operations—particularly in the context of illegal practices like using human shields—raises serious ethical and legal questions. International watchdogs and human rights groups have repeatedly warned that Gaza has become a testing ground for high-tech warfare tools, where civilian safety and legal boundaries are increasingly ignored.
This revelation adds a technological dimension to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has already been described by UN officials as “apocalyptic.” It also raises renewed concerns over the role of commercial technology companies in armed conflicts, particularly when those tools are used to violate international law.
