Reuters has revealed that during 2024, the US gathered intelligence indicating that Israel discussed the possibility of sending Palestinian soldiers into tunnels in Gaza believed to contain explosives, raising questions about the use of civilians as human shields, which is prohibited under international law.

The information was shared with the White House and analysed by intelligence agencies in the final weeks of former President Joe Biden’s administration. Two former US officials, who asked not to be named, have now revealed the information sparked internal debate about how widespread the practice was and whether Israeli soldiers were acting on instructions from military commanders.

Israel uses human shields – and the US knows it

The sources did not specify whether the Palestinians referred to were prisoners or civilians, and it was unclear whether the Biden administration had discussed the information with the Israeli government. White House and CIA officials did not comment on the report.

The Israeli army said in a statement that:

The use of civilians as human shields is strictly prohibited, and they may not be forced to participate in military operations.

It added that the military police’s criminal investigation division is investigating suspicions of Palestinian involvement in military operations. The Israeli government did not respond to questions about whether it had discussed this information with the United States.

The report noted that media reports accuse Hamas of using civilians as human shields, particularly by deploying its fighters in civilian facilities such as hospitals, accusations that the movement has denied.

The new intelligence also included legal warnings from Israeli lawyers that there was evidence that could lead to war crimes charges. According to former US officials, senior US officials believed that the information supported concerns about possible war crimes, which could place the US under potential liability if Israel’s involvement was proven.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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