New intelligence findings expose discussions within Israel’s military about sending Palestinians into Gaza tunnels — raising fresh questions about accountability, human rights, and wartime ethics.
In a striking revelation, U.S. intelligence reportedly confirmed that Israeli officials discussed the use of human shields during military operations in Gaza, according to a new Reuters investigation. The information, gathered in late 2024 and reviewed by the White House and U.S. intelligence agencies, suggests Palestinians were sent into tunnels suspected of being booby-trapped — a practice explicitly banned under international law.
The revelation has reignited global debate over Israel’s military conduct during its prolonged war on Gaza. Although Israel’s use of Palestinians as human shields has been documented by rights groups for years, this is one of the first times Washington’s own intelligence allegedly validated those claims internally.
“The Israel Defense Forces prohibit the use of civilians as human shields or coercing them to participate in military operations,” the Israeli military said in response to the report, adding that its internal investigation unit is reviewing related suspicions.
Despite the statement, multiple reports and verified videos over the past year appear to contradict Israel’s assurances. In June 2024, Al Jazeera released footage showing Israeli soldiers tying a wounded Palestinian man, Mujahed Azmi, to the front of a military jeep and driving him past ambulances during a raid in Jenin. The Israeli army later admitted that the soldiers had violated protocol.
Mounting International Scrutiny
Israel now faces growing pressure at the United Nations, where officials were questioned this week over torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees. During hearings before the UN Committee Against Torture, rapporteur Peter Vedel Kessing said the panel was “deeply appalled by widespread reports of systematic abuse — including children.”
When asked whether Israel has a domestic law prohibiting torture, its delegation admitted it does not. Nor, the delegation said, does Israel apply international anti-torture conventions in Gaza or the West Bank.
This rare UN exchange followed months of damning evidence, including leaked videos from Israel’s Sde Teiman military prison showing acts of sexual violence against detainees and bodies returned to Gaza bearing signs of torture. The UN committee will issue its non-binding findings later this month.
Global Reaction and Moral Outcry
Human rights advocates argue these reports expose a pattern of impunity that undermines global norms of wartime conduct. The U.S. government, while calling some incidents “disturbing,” has so far not disclosed whether it formally confronted Israel about the intelligence findings.
Observers note that Washington’s silence may signal political caution — balancing its alliance with Israel against mounting international criticism over civilian harm in Gaza.
The Bigger Picture
The alleged discussions and subsequent UN testimony underscore the urgent need for transparent investigations and accountability on all sides of the conflict. As the war enters its third year, stories like these highlight how truth and justice remain as contested as the territory itself.
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