DZWatch Exclusive: American intelligence sources have revealed that Israeli officials reportedly discussed the possibility of using Palestinian civilians as human shields during military operations in Gaza. The discussions allegedly centered around sending Palestinians into tunnels suspected of being booby-trapped, potentially placing them in harm’s way to protect Israeli soldiers.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the intelligence was gathered and analyzed throughout 2024, with findings shared with the White House during the final weeks of the previous US administration. The information reportedly raised concerns within the American government regarding the potential use of Palestinians as human shields by Israeli forces, and whether such actions were sanctioned by the Israeli military command.
The Israeli government has declined to comment on whether these discussions were held with the US. However, the Israeli Ministry of Defense issued a statement asserting that it “prohibits the use of civilians as human shields or forcing them in any way to participate in military operations.” The statement further added that the military police are investigating allegations regarding Palestinian involvement in military tasks.
Intelligence sources also indicated that US intelligence agencies collected additional data in late 2024 concerning internal debates within Israel regarding its military conduct in Gaza. Some of this information reportedly included warnings from Israeli lawyers about the potential for evidence that could incriminate the army in war crimes.
However, a team of lawyers from various US agencies concluded that the available evidence did not definitively prove a systematic pattern of war crimes by Israel, allowing Washington to continue its military and intelligence support for Tel Aviv. DZWatch is closely monitoring this developing story and will provide updates as they become available.
