NEW YORK, Nov 28 (Alliance News): Israeli soldiers have reportedly used Palestinian detainees as human shields during combat in Gaza to reduce their battlefield risks, according to an investigation by the New York Times.
The investigation, conducted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Natan Odenheimer, revealed testimonies from both Israeli soldiers and former Palestinian detainees.
The findings suggest that at least 11 military squads employed this tactic across five cities in Gaza, despite its prohibition under Israeli and international law.
The report cites cases where Palestinians, including teenagers, were forced into dangerous tasks such as scouting for booby traps, searching for hidden tunnels, or carrying large objects like generators under perilous conditions. In one instance, Mohammed Shubeir, a 17-year-old detainee, was allegedly forced to scout streets in Khan Younis for explosives.
Jehad Siam, a 31-year-old Palestinian, shared how he and others were made to walk ahead of advancing Israeli troops in Gaza City, risking ambushes and explosives.
The investigation found that these practices have increased since the beginning of the conflict. Seven Israeli soldiers confirmed either witnessing or participating in such actions, while eight others corroborated their prevalence anonymously.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) denied authorizing such practices, emphasizing that their rules prohibit using detained civilians for military operations. The IDF pledged to investigate the allegations.
This is not the first such accusation against Israeli forces. A similar investigation by Haaretz in August described Palestinian civilians being forced into military-like roles in Gaza. The “neighbor procedure,” a similar tactic used in the early 2000s, was banned by Israel’s Supreme Court in 2005.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 42,000 deaths, predominantly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The international community has criticized Israel for the high civilian toll.
