The only way Palestinian Man was not bound or connected by his eyes, he said, was he when he used it Israel Soldiers as their human shield.
Dressed in military hawnings with a camera fixed on the forehead, Ayman Abu Hamadan was forced into houses in Gauze Comic to make sure they were clear from bombs and attackers, he said. When one unit ended up with him, he was transferred to the next.
“They beat me and said,” You don’t have another option; Do it or we will kill you, “said a 36-year-old Associated Press, describing 2 1/2 weeks, last summer in the Israeli army in North Gaza.
Orders often came from the top, and sometimes almost every platoon used Palestinian on clear locations, said the Israeli officer, speaking of the state of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Several Palestine and Soldiers said AP that Israeli troops systematically force the Palestinians to act as a human shield in Gaza, sending them into buildings and tunnels for verification of explosives or militants. The dangerous practice became ubiquitous over 19 months of war, they said.
In response to these allegations, the Israeli army says that strictly forbids the use of civilians as a guard – the practice that has been accused for a long time Hamas use in Gaza. Israeli officials to blame militants for civilian mortal tull in the offensive that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
In the AP statement, the military said that the prohibitions are otherwise forced to participate in operations, and “all such orders are routinely emphasized”.
The military said that he explores several cases that state that Palestinians were involved in the missions, but would not provide details. She did not answer questions about the reach of practice or any orders of the commander.
AP talked with seven Palestinians who described how they were used as shields in Gaza and occupied Western bank And with two members of the Israel’s Army who said they were engaged in practice, which is prohibited by international law. The Groups for Rights Ring Alarm, saying that it became standard procedure increasingly used in the war.
“These are not insulated accounts; indicate a system failure and a frightening moral collapse,” said Nadvo Weiman, the executive director of silence – the whistleblower of former Israeli soldiers who raised the testimony of practice from the army. “Israel is rightly condemned by Hamas to use civilians as human shields, but our soldiers describe how to do the same.”
Abu Hamadan said that he was detained in August after he was separated from his family, and the soldiers told him to help the “special mission”. He was forced, 17 days, search the houses and inspect each hole into the ground for the tunnels, he said.
The soldiers stood behind and, once he was clear, entered the buildings to damage or destroy them, he said. Every night he spent every night in the dark room, just to wake up and do it again.
The use of human shields ‘caught like fire’
Groups for the right say that Israel used Palestinians as a shield in Gaza and the west coast for decades. The Supreme Court banned practice in 2005. years. But the groups continued to document violations.
However, experts say that this war is the first time in decades, practice – and discussion around it – it was so widespread.
Two of Israeli soldiers who talked to the AP – and a third of the punching were stated, the Commanders of the Aware of the Human Shields and tolerated him, and did not tolerate them, and that tolerated them. Some said that it was called the “Mosquito Protocol” and that Palestinians also called “Wasps” and other dehumanizing concepts.
Soldiers – who said no longer served in Gaza – said the practice accelerated surgery, saved ammunition and spared combat dogs from injury or death.
The soldiers said that they first became aware of the human shields soon after the war broke out on 7. October, when Hamas attacked Israel, and that it became widespread until mid 2024. Years. They said that the orders “brewards mosquitoes,” they said – shortened. The soldiers acted on the officer’s command, according to the officer who talked to the AP.
He said that by the end of his nine months in Gaza, every walking unit used Palestinian for cleaning houses before entering.
“Once this idea was launched, he was caught as a fire in the field,” said 26-year-old. “People saw how effective it was and easy.”
He described in 2024 a planned meeting in which the brigade commander presented the division commander, “picking up the mosquito” and a suggestion that could “just one from the street”.
The officer wrote two brigade commander incidents who describe in detail the use of human shields, reports that would be escalated to the chief of divisions, he said. The military said there was no comment on the question whether they received them.
One report was documented by accidental killing of Palestinia, said – the troops did not understand the other unit to use it as a shield and shot him as he ran into the house. The officer recommended Palestinians trained in military clothing to avoid misidential identification.
He said he knew at least one other Palestinian who died as he used as a shield – he crossed the tunnel.
Troops are pushed unsuccessfully back, says Sergeant
Convincing soldiers to work lawfully when they see their enemy who use questionable practices are difficult, said Michael Schmitt, a reputable professor of international law at the US military academy at West Point. Israeli officials and other observers say that Hamas uses civilians as a shield, because communities are installed, hiding fighters in hospitals and schools.
“It’s really hard to look at your soldiers and say you have to follow,” Schmitt said.
One soldier said that the AP was his unit to refuse to use human shields in mid 2024. Years, but they were told that they had no choice, with a high officer who should not take care of international humanitarian law.
Sergeant – who speaks of the state of anonymity for fear of retaliation – said the troops used a 16-year-old and 30-year-old and a few days.
The boy was constantly shaken, he said, and both repeated “Rafah, Rafah” – Gazijski’s southernmost city, where more than a million Palestinians fled somewhere else at the war.
They seemed to be praying to be released, Sergeant said.
‘I have children, “one man says he pleaded
Masoud Abu Saeeed said he was used as a shield for two weeks in March 2024. years in the southern town of Khan Younis.
“This is extremely dangerous,” he recounted to speak soldiers. “I have children and I want to reunite with them.”
The 36-year-old said he was forced to house, buildings and a hospital for excavation of suspicious tunnels and clear areas. He said he was wearing the first answer champion for simple identification, carrying phone, hammer and chain cutters.
During one operation, he ran into his brother, used as a shield to another unit, he said.
They hugged. “I thought the Israeli army was executed,” he said.
Palestinians are also reported to be used as shields in the west coast.
The Hazar assessment says that the soldiers took their refugee camp Jenin, forcing her to recording in several apartments and clean them before the troops entered.
She said she pleaded back to her 21-month-old son, but the soldiers did not listen.
“I was afraid to kill me,” she said. “And not to see my son again.”
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Magdy reported from Cairo.