nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com

Israeli soldiers and Palestinian former detainees say troops have regularly forced captured Gazans to carry out life-threatening tasks, including inside Hamas tunnels.

An investigation by The New York Times found that Israeli soldiers and intelligence agents, throughout the war in Gaza, have regularly forced captured Palestinians . . . to conduct life-threatening reconnaissance missions to avoid putting Israeli soldiers at risk on the battlefield.

While the extent and scale of such operations are unknown, the practice, illegal under both Israeli and international law, has been used by at least 11 squads in five cities in Gaza, often with the involvement of officers from Israeli intelligence agencies.

Palestinian detainees have been coerced to explore places in Gaza where the Israeli military believes that Hamas militants have prepared an ambush or a booby trap. The practice has gradually become more widespread since the start of the war last October.

Detainees have been forced to scout and film inside tunnel networks where soldiers believed fighters were still hiding. They have entered buildings rigged with mines to find hidden explosives. They have been told to pick up or move objects like generators and water tanks that Israeli soldiers feared concealed tunnel entrances or booby traps.

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  • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    382·
    2 months ago

    I wish I could say I was surprised. All I can say is that I hope this opens a few more peoples’ eyes.

      • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        131·
        2 months ago

        Nah, my hopes are fine. It’s not the dedicated pro-genocide types that need to be reached. It’s the centrists who couldn’t find Israel on a map who are the ones who need their eyes opened.

        • abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us
          2·
          2 months ago

          the practice, illegal under both Israeli and international law

          I am surprised. It’s one thing to flout international law (that perhaps they don’t agree with from the very beginning) but to ignore their own laws?

          This is outrageous.

          • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            Unfortunately, they’ve been doing this sort of thing for years. Sometimes the left-wing papers in Israel kick up enough dust that the IDF promises to review it and then does nothing, but more often it just happens.

      • OccamsTeapot@lemmy.worldEnglish
        202·
        2 months ago

        You really don’t seem to understand how bad this makes you look. Using human shields is fine now apparently? Did you ever have principles or do you find that they get in the way of your blind hatred?

          • napoleonsdumbcousin@feddit.orgEnglish
            181·
            2 months ago

            If a terrorist organisation lays booby traps, then it is fine to force civilians or prisoners to walk into them, is that what you want to say?

          • WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.worldEnglish
            152·
            2 months ago

            Infested

            Using words that frame everyone you disagree with as insects is sure to make you sound rational and not at all pro-genocide…

            • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
              72·
              2 months ago

              Zionism is a form of fascism. This type of casual, widespread, dehumanizing language underscores that point.

          • OccamsTeapot@lemmy.worldEnglish
            101·
            2 months ago

            Booby trapping civilian areas* is really bad because it puts innocent civilians at risk. Now, you’ve already written two comments on this but not one condemning the use of civilians as literal human shields. So you’re welcome to do so any time now…

            *Tunnels are fair game imo, not intended for civilians, but anyway