An Israeli officer revealed that Palestinians are frequently used as “live shields” in the Gaza Strip, and despite the awareness among Israeli military officials, no action was taken to prevent it.

Preferring to remain anonymous, the Israeli officer stated to Haaretz newspaper, “I was nearly drowning when I learned that the Israeli military police had only conducted 6 investigations into Palestinians being used as live shields.” The Israeli soldier emphasized, “At least 6 instances of live shield usage occurred daily in Gaza. If the relevant authorities are serious, they would need to initiate a minimum of 2,190 investigations.” Regarding the investigations launched, the Israeli officer commented, “We are trying to inform the world and ourselves that we have opened investigations.”

Having spent 9 months in Gaza and witnessing new procedures, the Israeli soldier lamented, “The worst of these was the mosquito procedure. Innocent Palestinians in Gaza were forced to enter houses and clear them; ensuring there were no armed individuals or explosives inside.” The Israeli officer mentioned, “I first learned about the mosquito procedure in December 2023, two months after Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza,” further adding, “I hadn’t realized how widespread it was back then.”

TERMED AS “SERGEANTS,” LIVE SHIELDS HAVE BEEN USED Israeli soldiers refer to Palestinians employed as live shields as “sergeants,” revealed the Israeli officer. “Today, each unit has a sergeant, and no soldier enters a house without the sergeant evacuating it. This implies a minimum of 4 sergeants in each platoon, 12 in a battalion, and 36 in a brigade,” he explained. The Israeli soldier remarked, “We have a ‘slave’ class, and they (Israeli authorities) are trying to escape punishment by conducting only 6 investigations.”

“NO ONE TRIED TO HALT THIS” Regarding the use of Palestinians as live shields, the Israeli soldier mentioned, “The top echelons of the army were aware of the existence of live shields for over a year, and no one tried to halt it. Moreover, it was defined as an ‘operational necessity.'” Pointing to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Israeli officer expressed, “We have every reason to worry about The Hague because this procedure is a crime. It’s a crime more prevalent than what the army admits and what is told to the public.”

ICC ISSUED ARREST WARRANT FOR NETANYAHU The ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. The court also rejected Israel’s objections to the ICC’s jurisdiction, affirming that it has the authority to adjudicate crimes committed in Palestinian territories.

2 MILLION PALESTINIANS DISPLACED Between October 7, 2023, and the ceasefire declared on January 19, Israel’s attacks on Gaza resulted in over 61,000 Palestinian deaths, including 14,000 missing under rubble, and 2 million displaced individuals. Hospitals, homes, and schools where displaced Palestinians sought refuge were also targeted, resulting in the destruction of 88% of Gaza’s infrastructure.