Is Israel's army using Palestinians as human shields?

In many places in Gaza, Israeli troops have discovered tunnels from which Hamas fighters have been operating. Photo: Reuters

In a tent in Khan Younis, the second largest city in the Gaza Strip, Mohammad S. sits and tells a story that does not fit into the usual narratives on the Gaza war.

For almost a year, Israel's army, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), has been fighting Hamas and other militant organisations there, which are classified as terrorist organisations by Germany, the European Union, the United States and other governments. The trigger was an unprecedented terrorist attack on Israel last October 7, when, according to Israeli sources, Islamist militias killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostages to Gaza.

In the months of fighting, Israel has claimed Hamas has used Gaza's civilian population as human shields. Images of weapons and ammunition found in schools and hospitals, for example, were presented as evidence. But Mohammad S. reports an additional reality.

"They [soldiers of the Israeli army IDF] blindfolded us and tied our hands behind our backs. They took us in their jeeps, and we sat in a house," said Mohammad S. "The next day they took us by force and said: Either you come with us, or we'll kill you." This went on for 15 days, he said. His job was to lead the way when there was danger.

'They controlled us via headphones'

"They sent me and someone else on a mission. They put a camera in our hands, in addition to the camera on the helmet. And they controlled us via headphones and said: Stop here, go there, film this house, stop on this street," said Mohammad S.

If his statements are correct, the Israeli army was using him as a human shield. According to his account, he had to go into houses before the troops went in, taking on dangers that Israeli soldiers did not want to face themselves.

Nadav Weiman, director of the Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence, can confirm such reports. Since December, he said, soldiers who served in the Gaza war have repeatedly come forward and reported how Palestinian civilians were being used as human shields.

The IDF, he said, has been taking Palestinians from the so-called humanitarian zones and bringing them to the combat troops in Gaza, in various units. Dressed in army uniforms and sometimes with cameras attached to their helmets or chests, Palestinians are sent to search tunnels or houses — and to check for bombs, booby traps or similar devices.

In many places in Gaza, Israeli troops have discovered entrances to tunnels from which Hamas fighters have been operating. Entering them is a great risk for the soldiers. This also applies to urban combat in many parts of the enclave.

NGO receives several reports per week

Breaking the Silence receives two to three new reports from soldiers every week. For Weiman, this is proof these aren't isolated cases, but that the practice of sending Palestinian civilians into dangerous situations is widespread — for months, throughout the Gaza Strip, in various units.

Weiman describes the witness reports: "In one unit, the officer said: 'You don't have to think about war crimes, I'm your officer. You don't have to think, you have to follow orders.' Elsewhere, they said, 'Do you prefer to die? We prefer the Palestinian to die'."

Another Palestinian, Mohammad A., was also afraid of dying. He, too, said soldiers forced him at gunpoint to enter buildings for 15 days, just like Mohammad S. He said the soldiers put him in an Israeli uniform so that he would be the target, not the Israeli soldiers. He said entrenched Hamas fighters could have killed him, or he could have died from booby traps or bombs.

Mohammad A. reported how he had to go into many houses before the soldiers. Inside, he had to film and open every door, he told German public broadcaster ARD in Tel Aviv. Sometimes, he was accompanied by a drone when he went into the houses, he said.

'What we see in Gaza is not self-defence, it's a political war'

Mohammad A. said he was released by Israeli soldiers in April, but still has nightmares to this day — for example, about the time he searched a hospital for Israeli troops.

"It was horrific. There were dead bodies everywhere in Nasser hospital. I can't believe I made it out of there. I still have nightmares and wake up in the night," he said.

The Palestinians used in this way, according to the accounts from Gaza, are innocent civilians — as appears evident from the fact that they are released after some time.

The Israeli army responded to an inquiry from ARD with a standard reply: "IDF guidelines prohibit the use of captured civilians in Gaza in military missions that put them at risk. The allegations have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for investigation."

For Weiman, these accusations don't just go against international humanitarian law, but also the ethical standards of the Israeli army. "We believe that we need an army and that we have to defend ourselves," he said. "But what we see in Gaza is not self-defence, it's a political war." And if a political solution is to be discussed, he added, then it is, of course, crucial to reveal how the IDF operates in Gaza.

Before finishing the interview, Mohammad S. shows a bandage over his chest. He has worn it since his last mission, when he was sent ahead of troops once again. The last thing he remembers was a shot being fired, before he woke up in hospital. At least he survived his missions for the Israeli army.