Israeli Army Officer: We Used Gaza’s Population as Human Shields Over 2,000 Times

An Israeli army officer revealed that the army used Palestinians as human shields at least six times a day during the days of aggression against Gaza.

The officer, in an article for the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz (without revealing their name), said, “I nearly suffocated when I learned that the Israeli military police opened only six investigations into the use of Palestinians as human shields.”

He added, “In Gaza, human shields are used at least six times a day. If the relevant authorities want to carry out their work seriously, they will need to open at least 2,190 investigations.”

The officer argued that the announcement of opening investigations was merely an attempt to tell both themselves and the world that they were investigating the matter.

He continued, “I was in Gaza for nine months, and I witnessed new practices, the worst of which was the practice of using Palestinians as human shields. Innocent Palestinians are forced to enter homes and tunnels in Gaza to ensure there are no militants or explosives inside.”

The officer explained that he first became aware of this in December 2023, two months after the start of the ground maneuver. At the time, he did not realize how widespread the practice was.

Soldiers in the Israeli army refer to the Palestinian individuals used as human shields as “Shawish.” According to the officer, “Today, almost every unit has a Shawish, and no infantry force enters a house without the Shawish clearing it first.”

He added, “This means there are four Shawish in a platoon, twelve in a battalion, and at least thirty-six in a brigade. We have a class of slaves, and Israeli officials try to avoid accountability by conducting only six investigations.”

The officer stated, “I knew the highest levels in the army had been aware of the human shields practice for more than a year, and no one attempted to stop it. It was even seen as an operational necessity.”

Referring to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the officer said, “We have every reason to be concerned about The Hague because this procedure is a crime, a crime even the army admits to. It’s more widespread than the public is told.”

On November 21, 2024, the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Palestinians in Gaza.

Additionally, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is reviewing a lawsuit filed by South Africa accusing the Israeli occupation of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.