An investigation by Israeli outlet The Hottest Place in Hell found that the Israeli army forced an 80-year-old Palestinian man to act as a human shield in Gaza by tying an explosive cord around his neck before ordering him to scout buildings. The man, along with his wife, was later shot dead by another Israeli battalion while they were trying to flee their home in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood. This incident highlights the Israeli military’s use of Palestinian civilians as human shields, a practice prohibited under international law.
The soldiers initially encountered the elderly couple in their home, where they had sought refuge due to mobility difficulties. Despite the man’s condition, soldiers forced him to walk ahead of them with his cane while detaining his wife. The couple was then ordered to walk towards a so-called “humanitarian zone” in southern Gaza, but they were shot and killed by another battalion without warning.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of Israeli forces using Palestinian civilians as human shields, as reported by various media outlets. In the occupied West Bank, a wounded Palestinian man was tied to the hood of a military jeep, and in previous instances, civilians have been dressed in military uniforms and sent into dangerous situations to shield Israeli troops.
The United Nations and human rights organizations have condemned the use of human shields as a violation of international law and human rights. The Israeli army has been asked for comment on these incidents, but the practice continues to raise concerns about the safety and protection of Palestinian civilians in conflict zones.
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