 During the retreat the army picked clean all the lands through which they passed, with livestock, crops and houses all being destroyed.Gaza was the only place to be spared, in return for remaining loyal to Bonaparte.To speed the retreat, Napoleon suggested the controversial step of euthanized his own soldiers who were terminally-ill with plague (between 15 and 50, sources vary) and were not expected to recover through an opium overdose, both to relieve their suffering, ease the retreat, prevent the spread of the disease and prevent the torture and executions the soldiers left-behind would have received if captured by the enemy; his doctors refused to carry out such orders  but there is also evidence in the form of first-hand testimonies that claim the mass euthanazing did take place and the matter is debated.