A collection of first-person accounts by soldiers who served in Israel’s recent Gaza offensive, released on Wednesday, claims that the military adopted loose rules of engagement in civilian areas during the conflict. The assault left more than 1,300 people dead.

“The goal was to carry out an operation with the least possible casualties for the army, without it even asking itself what the price would be for the other side,” said one of the 27 ­soldiers who gave testimony. Like the others, he spoke on condition of anonymity.