Frequent Allegations of Israeli Use of Human Shields in Gaza and the West Bank: Army Faces Scrutiny as Proof Mounts Indicating Higher Command Involvement
The Associated Press has published a report alleging that Israel's military has systematically used Palestinians as human shields during its operations in Gaza and the West Bank. The practice, which is considered a violation of international law, has been corroborated by seven Palestinians and two Israeli military officers.
The report, published on Saturday, documented the testimonies of Palestinians who were forced to act as human shields in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Among the accounts was a Palestinian man in his 20s who was made to enter tunnel shafts and buildings by Israeli units, a practice that allegedly took pride among the forces.
The Israeli military has responded to the allegations by stating that using civilians as shields is strictly prohibited and several cases are under investigation. However, Nicola Perugini, co-author of "Human Shields: A History of People in the Line of Fire," noted that Israeli army investigations have not proven effective in the past, and evidence of Palestinians being used as human shields dates back to the second Intifada of the early 2000s.
Accounts suggest that the practice of using human shields has become normalized within the Israeli military. In his upcoming book, Perugini describes the lived-streamed genocide in Gaza as having the most documented archive of human shielding in the history of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
The military has been accused of using human shields on numerous occasions, with Israel declining to respond to a range of allegations put forth by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit last year. One case involved Jamal Abu al-Ola, a detainee forced to act as a messenger for the Israelis, who was later shot dead by a sniper in front of displaced people at a hospital. The Military Police are currently investigating six cases in which Israeli soldiers are alleged to have used Palestinians as human shields.
Despite the widespread allegations of human shielding and Israel's own acknowledgment of the practice, the question of whether the military will launch a crackdown remains uncertain. Indications suggest that orders may be originating from senior officers, with one anonymous Israeli officer claiming that every infantry unit was using a Palestinian to clear houses by mid-2004 in Gaza. In response to the AP report, the Israeli military has stated that it will investigate the claims if further details are provided.
- The Associated Press report on war-and-conflicts, detailing Israel's military using Palestinians as human shields, is causing widespread concern about human rights.
- The practice of using civilians as human shields, considered a violation of international law, has been a part of Israeli military culture for years, according to Nicola Perugini's upcoming book.
- The Israeli military's investigations into the use of human shields, as highlighted by Perugini, have proven ineffective in the past, leaving many instances unaddressed, including those dating back to the second Intifada.
- The General News is rife with accounts of individuals, like Jamal Abu al-Ola, who were forced to act as human shields and later paid the ultimate price, such as being shot dead by Israeli snipers.
- Despite the ongoing investigations into the use of human shields, it remains unclear if the Israeli military will take decisive action to halt this practice, with some suggesting that orders might be originating from senior officers.
