‘Do this or we'll kill you': Israeli soldiers accused of using Palestinians as human shields during Gaza ops

Indian Express

24-05-2025

Israeli soldiers have been using Palestinians as human shields during their military operations in Gaza, according to an investigation by the Associated Press. Several Palestinians and former Israeli soldiers told AP that this practice has become widespread during the war, despite being banned under international law.
Ayman Abu Hamadan, 36, from Gaza, said he was taken by the Israeli army last August and used as a human shield for more than two weeks. He said he was dressed in army clothing, fitted with a camera, and forced to enter houses and tunnels ahead of Israeli troops to check for dangers.
'They beat me and told me: 'You have no other option; do this or we'll kill you,'' he told AP.
An Israeli army officer, speaking anonymously, said the use of Palestinian civilians to clear buildings was common across military units. 'Once this idea was initiated, it caught on like fire in a field,' the officer said. 'People saw how effective and easy it was.'
He said the practice was often referred to as the 'mosquito protocol,' and that Palestinians were called 'mosquitoes' or 'wasps' over the radio. According to the officer, the practice helped speed up operations and reduced risks for soldiers and dogs.
The Israeli military told AP that it prohibits the use of civilians as human shields and said such orders are regularly reinforced among troops. It also said it is investigating several cases but did not provide details.
Rights groups and former soldiers say the use of human shields by Israeli forces is not new, but this war marks a notable increase. Nadav Weiman, executive director of the group Breaking the Silence, said to AP, 'These are not isolated accounts. They point to a systemic failure.'
The Israeli Supreme Court banned the use of human shields in 2005, but violations have been reported since then.
Another man, Masoud Abu Saeed, 36, said he was used as a shield in March this year in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. He told AP he was forced to dig and search buildings while wearing a first-responder vest. 'This is extremely dangerous,' he said he told a soldier. 'I have children and want to reunite with them.'
He also said he unexpectedly met his brother during one operation, who was being used the same way by a different unit. 'I thought Israel's army had executed him,' he said.
In the West Bank, Hazar Estity said soldiers took over her home in the Jenin refugee camp last November. She told AP they made her film inside nearby apartments before they entered. 'I was most afraid that they would kill me,' she said. 'And that I wouldn't see my son again.'
Some Israeli soldiers said they tried to avoid using human shields but were pressured to comply. A sergeant told AP that his unit was told not to worry about international law. He said they used a 16-year-old boy and a 30-year-old man, both of whom appeared terrified.
Experts told AP that while both sides have been accused of using human shields, militaries still have a responsibility to follow international law.
Michael Schmitt, a professor of international law at West Point, said: 'It's really a heavy lift to look at your own soldiers and say you have to comply.'