NEW YORK: Israeli soldiers have been using Palestinian detainees as human shields in Gaza to minimize their own battlefield risks, according to a New York Times investigation published by the newspaper.
The paper published a report on the probe, conducted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Natan Odenheimer on Wednesday.
Odenheimer said he decided to look into the matter after hearing an Israeli trooper talking about Palestinians being sent into tunnels used by the Hamas resistance movement.
The report, based on testimony from Israeli soldiers and former Palestinian detainees, reveals that Israeli forces regularly force captured Palestinians, including teenagers, to carry out dangerous tasks during combat operations.
While the full extent of these operations is unclear, the practice — illegal under both Israeli and international law — has reportedly been employed by at least 11 military squads in five different cities in the Gaza Strip. Israeli intelligence officers are said to have been involved in several of the incidents.
In one instance, Mohammed Shubeir, a Palestinian arrested by Israeli forces in March at the age of 17, was held for 10 days without charge. Shubeir claims that during this time he was handcuffed and forced to walk through the streets of Khan Younis, scouting for booby traps set by Hamas militants.
Another testimony by Jehad Siam, a 31-year-old Palestinian graphic designer, recounted how he and a group of detainees were forced by Israeli soldiers to walk ahead of advancing troops in a militant stronghold in Gaza City, risking their lives to shield the soldiers from ambush or explosives.
The report also alleges that Palestinians were used to move large objects, such as generators and water tanks, and search for hidden tunnels or bombs under dangerous conditions.
These kinds of practices, the newspaper said, have become more frequent and widespread since the beginning of the conflict.
The New York Times spoke to seven Israeli soldiers who confirmed either witnessing or participating in the practice, describing it as organized and conducted “with considerable logistical support and the knowledge of superiors on the battlefield.”
Eight other soldiers and officials, speaking anonymously, corroborated widespread use of the tactic. Three Palestinians gave on-record accounts of being used as human shields, although the New York Times noted that no evidence was found of detainees being killed or injured.
In response, the Israel Defence Forces issued a statement condemning the practice, emphasizing that its “directives and guidelines strictly prohibit the use of detained Gaza civilians for military operations.” The IDF said it would investigate the allegations.
This is not the first time Israel has faced such accusations. Israeli newspaper Haaretz in August published a similar investigation describing how Israeli soldiers forced Palestinian civilians to wear military uniforms and scout dangerous locations in Gaza under remote supervision.
A practice known as the “neighbour procedure” was used by Israeli forces in Gaza and the West Bank in the early 2000s, in which civilians were forced to approach the homes of militants to urge them to surrender. Israel’s Supreme Court banned this tactic in 2005, ruling that the use of human shields violated both Israeli and international law.
According to he Gaza Health Ministry, more than 42,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. The international community has repeatedly condemned Israel for the high civilian casualty rate.
