US Had Evidence Israel Discussed Using Palestinians as Human Shields in Gaza: Report:

The United States had obtained evidence last year suggesting that Israeli officials discussed using Palestinians as human shields during military operations in Gaza, according to a new report by Reuters. Two former US officials told Reuters that the intelligence—collected and analyzed in the final weeks of former President Joe Biden’s administration—indicated that Israeli soldiers may have sent Palestinians into tunnels believed to be rigged with explosives. The information was reportedly shared with the White House and the wider US intelligence community. International law strictly prohibits the use of civilians as shields during military activity. While human rights organizations have previously documented instances of Israel using Palestinians in this way, this report marks a rare acknowledgment that Washington collected its own evidence on the issue. The sources did not clarify whether the Palestinians involved were civilians or prisoners, and Reuters could not confirm if the Biden administration ever raised the matter with the Israeli government. In response, the Israeli military stated that it “prohibits the use of civilians as human shields or coercing them in any way to participate in military operations,” adding that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is reviewing “suspicions involving Palestinians in military missions.” Earlier this year, seven Palestinians who had been used as human shields in Gaza and the occupied West Bank shared their experiences in an Associated Press report. Additionally, verified footage from Al Jazeera in June 2024 showed Israeli soldiers tying a wounded Palestinian man, Mujahed Azmi, to the front of a military jeep during a raid in Jenin. The Israeli military admitted the soldiers violated protocol, and a US State Department spokesperson called the incident “disturbing” and a “clear violation” of Israel’s own rules. Israel also faced scrutiny this week at the United Nations in Geneva, where 28 Israeli officials appeared before the UN Committee Against Torture. The panel questioned Israel over reports of widespread torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. Committee rapporteur Peter Vedel Kessing said the body was “deeply appalled” by descriptions of “systematic and widespread torture,” including against children. When asked whether Israel has laws prohibiting torture or applies international anti-torture agreements in Gaza and the West Bank, Israeli representatives answered “no” to both questions. Reports of abuse have intensified, including leaked footage from Israel’s Sde Teiman prison allegedly showing the rape of a Palestinian detainee. Dozens of bodies returned to Gaza after a ceasefire also showed signs of torture, according to Palestinian officials. The UN Committee Against Torture is expected to release a non-binding summary of its findings on Israel’s actions by the end of November.

NEWS