Israel has repeatedly been accused of utilizing Palestinians as human shields in violation of worldwide regulation.
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The US had proof final yr that Israeli officers mentioned how their troopers despatched Palestinians into tunnels in Gaza that the Israelis believed have been doubtlessly lined with explosives, two former US officers have informed the Reuters information company.
The data was shared with the White Home and analysed by the intelligence neighborhood within the closing weeks of former President Joe Biden’s administration, the officers stated.
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Worldwide regulation prohibits the usage of civilians as shields throughout navy exercise.
Israel’s use of Palestinians as human shields in Gaza and the occupied West Financial institution has been documented on a number of events, however Wednesday’s Reuters report is a uncommon acknowledgement that Washington collected its personal proof on the topic.
The officers, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate delicate nationwide safety data, didn’t present particulars on whether or not the Palestinians referenced within the intelligence have been prisoners or civilians.
Reuters couldn’t decide whether or not the Biden administration mentioned the intelligence with the Israeli authorities.
Responding to the report, the Israeli navy stated in a press release that it “prohibits the usage of civilians as human shields or coercing them in any strategy to take part in navy operations”.
It added that the Army Police Prison Investigation Division is investigating “suspicions involving Palestinians in navy missions”.
In Could this yr, seven Palestinians who had been used as human shields in Gaza, in addition to the occupied West Financial institution, shared testimonies in a report printed by The Related Press.
In June 2024, video footage verified by Al Jazeera confirmed Israeli troopers tied a wounded Palestinian man, Mujahed Azmi, to the entrance of a navy jeep and drove him previous two ambulances throughout a raid on the town of Jenin, within the occupied West Financial institution.
The Israeli navy claimed on the time that the troopers concerned violated protocol, whereas a US State Division spokesperson described experiences and video of the incident as “disturbing” and “a transparent violation” of Israel’s “orders and procedures”.
Israel quizzed at UN over torture allegations
Israel was questioned on the United Nations on Tuesday and Wednesday over a number of experiences alleging the torture of Palestinian detainees, particularly for the reason that Hamas assaults of October 7, 2023.
“The committee has been deeply appalled by the outline now we have acquired, in a lot of various experiences, of what seems to be systematic and widespread torture and ill-treatment of Palestinians, together with kids,” the physique’s rapporteur, Peter Vedel Kessing, stated.
Twenty-eight Israeli officers appeared in entrance of a panel of 10 UN specialists on torture in Geneva.
The specialists requested the Israeli workforce: “Does Israel have a regulation towards torture?”
The reply from the Israeli delegation was no.
“Does Israel apply the agreements it has signed towards torture in Gaza and the West Financial institution?” the query continued, to which the reply was additionally no.
The committee confronted Israel with a number of experiences and an extended checklist of violations towards Palestinians. The Israeli delegation denied most of them. In some cases, the delegation stated, troopers had acted in “self-defence”.
Israel has repeatedly been accused of utilizing torture throughout its two-year battle on Gaza.
In a single occasion, a video leaked from its notorious Sde Teiman navy jail appeared to point out Israeli troopers raping a Palestinian detainee.
As well as, dozens of useless our bodies of Palestinian detainees which were returned to Gaza for the reason that begin of a ceasefire have exhibited indicators of torture.
The UN Committee Towards Torture will situation a non-binding abstract of its findings on the allegations towards Israel on the finish of November.
