Israeli soldiers and former detainees tell AP Israel’s use of human shields in Gaza is widespread

Israeli use of human shields in Gaza was systematic, soldiers and former detainees tell the AP

The only times the Palestinian man wasn’t bound or blindfolded, he said, was when he was used by Israeli soldiers as their human shield.

Dressed in army fatigues with a camera fixed to his forehead, Ayman Abu Hamadan was forced into houses in the Gaza Strip to make sure they were clear of bombs and gunmen, he said. When one unit finished with him, he was passed to the next.

17 comments

I’m not sure “human shield” is the correct term here. That implies using the civilian population to deter your enemy from shooting at you - which has been Hamas’ strategy from the beginning. It would make zero sense for the IDF to do that, since it wouldn’t deter anyone.
EDIT: It may be more accurate to categorize this as using a protected person to perform military duties, which is also prohibited under international humanitarian law - but it’s a different category of war crime.
Human shield is defined under Geneva Conventions as "utilizing the presence of a civilian or other protected person to render certain points, areas or military forces immune from military operations"
- I’m not here to deny the atrocities committed by the IDF - I’m simply questioning the legitimacy of the term in this specific context, while somewhat provocatively trying to highlight the fact that accusing Israel of using human shields is a bit like accusing Ukraine of killing civilians. While both may be technically true, it still paints a somewhat dishonest picture of the actual reality - which, in this case, is that using human shields is Hamas’ number one tactic, and no intellectually honest person can seriously claim otherwise.
  
  No one is buying your Zionist bullshit
  
  Well obviously not. We're long past the times where it mattered what anyone was actually saying. Fighting strawmen and attacking people directly rather than what they're saying is a lot easier and wins you many more upvotes from the hivemind.
  
  Good thing I brought an entire fucking list of sources, dumbass
  
  I’m not here to deny the atrocities committed by the IDF
  That's precisely what you are doing. You are a genocide apologist and I am not surprised someone called you a "fascist" in another thread.
- try reading news about the IDF
  
  What's your point?
  
  you seem to be learning about the IDF for the first time, you'd be surprised at what they do
  
  I don't see how this is relevant to what I said.
  
  you seem to be trying to be pedantic regarding war crimes but are still wrong to boot.
  when they tie Palestinians to the front of their vehicles, I think we can say they're using literal human shields.
  try putting your energy somewhere where you're not defending genocidal fascist military forces?
  
  when they tie Palestinians to the front of their vehicles, I think we can say they’re using literal human shields.
  That would absolutely count as using them as human shields. However, the example used in the article, in my opinion, doesn’t. What they’re doing is still just as immoral and still a war crime, but I don’t think it qualifies as an example of using someone as a human shield.
  This has nothing to do with defending the IDF - don’t be ridiculous.
  
  oof.
  
  You are defending literal war crimes and you should be ashamed of yourself.
- Human Shields is a practice employed by the IDF for years and decades.
  And you'd have to a be a Zionist to think Palestinians wouldn't want to avoid shooting their own.

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