• Israeli forces reportedly forced Palestinians to act as human shields during military operations in Gaza.
• Testimonies reveal that soldiers coerced civilians, threatening them with violence to comply.
• Human rights groups and former soldiers condemn the actions as systemic violations and a moral failure.
• The Israeli military states the use of civilians as shields is prohibited and under investigation.
• Reports indicate that this practice has been increasingly recorded since the outbreak of conflict in October 2023.

The Israeli military has been accused of systematically using Palestinians as human shields during its operations in Gaza. Testimonies from at least seven Palestinians indicate that they were forced into buildings to ensure they were clear of explosives or militants, with one individual, Ayman Abu Hamadan, stating, "They beat me and told me: ‘You have no other option; do this or we’ll kill you,’" recalling his two and a half weeks of being held and compelled to search homes and tunnels in northern Gaza last summer, according to Middle East Eye and Los Angeles Times.

Multiple Israeli soldiers corroborated the practice, admitting that near every platoon had utilized a Palestinian to clear locations before they entered, as detailed in reports. One officer confirmed that this procedure had become so widespread that it was often referred to as the "mosquito protocol," highlighting the normalization of these actions within military operations, as mentioned by South China Morning Post and Middle East Eye.

Rights organizations have raised alarms over these allegations, declaring it a systematic failure and moral collapse within military conduct. Nadav Weiman, executive director of the organization Breaking the Silence, stated, “Israel rightly condemns Hamas for using civilians as human shields, but our own soldiers describe doing the very same,” reinforcing the gravity of these claims, according to Los Angeles Times.

The Israeli military maintains that it strictly prohibits the use of civilians as shields, asserting that it is investigating allegations of such practices. However, it has not provided clarity on the reports of how widespread these actions may be, and it hasn't addressed specific operational orders regarding the coercion of civilians, as noted by officials in South China Morning Post and Middle East Eye.

This practice is not new but reportedly has escalated since the onset of the current conflict in October 2023. Findings suggest that the military's use of Palestinians as human shields has been so regularized that at least six instances of force were reported daily, signifying a troubling trend in warfare behavior, according to Middle East Eye and Los Angeles Times.

Former soldiers have described a disturbing culture where compliance with these practices has become crucial, with one sergeant expressing that his unit attempted to refuse using human shields but were rebuffed by a high-ranking officer who disregarded international humanitarian law. One reported using a 16-year-old as a shield, creating a further emotional and ethical burden on soldiers involved, as revealed by Middle East Eye and Los Angeles Times.

Moreover, instances of extreme measures have been reported, including instances where explosives were reportedly mounted on Palestinians forced to act as human shields, which has sparked outrage and demands for accountability both locally and internationally. Such actions clearly violate international humanitarian standards and raise profound concerns regarding human rights, according to South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.