The Israeli army systematically uses Palestinian civilians as “human shields” by having them inspect buildings and tunnels for explosives and militants. This is according to interviews by news agency *AP*. High-ranking Israeli officers are said to be aware of this and even order it.
One of the Palestinians interviewed by the news agency had to enter houses in northern Gaza to check for shooters inside. “They beat me and said I had no choice,” said Ayman Abu Hamadan. “Otherwise, they would kill me.”
The 36-year-old Palestinian man was given an army uniform and a camera was attached to his forehead. The soldiers stood behind him and went inside when the coast appeared to be clear. Hamadan did this for seventeen consecutive days. He had to spend the nights tied up in a dark room.
*AP* spoke with a total of seven Palestinians who were held by Israeli soldiers and used in their missions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Two Israeli soldiers also admitted in interviews that they participated in this. The use of civilians during wars is prohibited by international law.
These appear to be no unique situations. According to the interviewed Palestinians and soldiers, Palestinian civilians are systematically forced to serve as “human shields.” One of the soldiers even says that almost every Israeli platoon “uses a Palestinian to see if locations are safe.”
‘Taking A Mosquito Along’
Shortly after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the interviewed Israeli soldiers first saw that Palestinians were being used in their missions. By mid-2024, the method had been implemented within the entire army, according to them.
The radio connection regularly spoke about “taking a mosquito along,” which referred to a Palestinian civilian. These orders are said to have also come from commanding officers. The soldiers, who are no longer active in Gaza, say that this method saved ammunition and ensured that operations went faster. It also meant that fewer combat dogs were injured and killed.
One of the Israeli soldiers told *AP* that his team had refused to use a Palestinian civilian in a mission. But they were told that they had no other choices. Their supervisor is also said to have said that they do not need to worry about international law.
‘Israel Rightly Batteries Hamas, But Does The Same’
Several human rights organizations had previously raised the alarm about this. According to them, this has been happening for decades in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The Israeli Supreme Court prohibited the use of Palestinian civilians in military operations in 2005.
Yet it still happened, according to Breaking the Silence, among others. That is a whistleblower group consisting of former Israeli soldiers. “Israel rightly accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields, but their own soldiers are doing exactly the same,” said Executive Director Nadav Weiman to *AP*.
Israel accuses Hamas of the large number of fatalities in Gaza because the militant movement is said to be hiding in tunnels under hospitals and residential areas.
It is unclear how many Palestinians have died while being used as “human shields.” Documents in the possession of *AP* show that a Palestinian was accidentally shot dead because Israeli soldiers from another group did not realize that he was being used as a “shield.”
One of the interviewed soldiers also knew of another deceased Palestinian. He is said to have become unwell while he had to inspect a tunnel.