Israeli Officer Admits Army Uses Palestinians as Human Shields Six Times Daily in Gaza

Tel Aviv, MINA – An Israeli military officer revealed Thursday that the army uses Palestinians as human shields at least six times daily in Gaza, an illegal practice under international law, Anadolu Agency reported.

Writing anonymously in Haaretz, the officer criticized military police for launching only six investigations into the tactic despite its frequent use.

“I nearly choked when I learned the military police launched only six probes into using Palestinians as human shields,” the officer wrote. “In Gaza, it happens at least six times a day. If the authorities were serious, they’d need to open at least 2,190 investigations.”

The officer, who served nine months in Gaza, described a procedure called the “mosquito procedure,” where Palestinians are forced to enter and clear homes, checking for gunmen or explosives.

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“I first encountered this in December 2023, two months into the ground offensive, unaware then how common it was,” he stated.

He added that Israeli soldiers call Palestinians used in this procedure “shawish,” and that “nearly every platoon has a shawish. No infantry unit enters a house before a shawish clears it.”

Despite senior military commanders being aware of this tactic for over a year, he claimed that they consider it an “operational necessity” and that “no one tried to stop it.”

The officer warned that the International Criminal Court (ICC) could prosecute Israel for these crimes.

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“We’ve every reason to worry about The Hague. This is a crime (human shields) — even the army admits it — and it’s far more widespread than the public knows,” he said.

A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in January temporarily halted Israel’s attacks on Gaza, which have killed more than 48,500 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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