[News] 'We are holding slaves': Israeli soldier reveals systematic use of Palestinian 'human shields' in Gaza

[Anti-Imperialist News]

  'We are holding slaves': Israeli soldier reveals systematic use of
  Palestinian 'human shields' in Gaza

The soldier revealed that the Israeli Military Police are investigating 
just a few cases to give the impression that the practice is rare

News Desk <https://thecradle.co/authors/news-desk-9>

MAR 14, 2025 
-https://thecradle.co/articles/we-are-holding-slaves-israeli-soldier-reveals-systematic-use-of-palestinian-human-shields-in-gaza

(Photo credit: Oren Cohen/Flash90)

An Israeli soldier disclosed 
<https://www.haaretz.co.il/opinions/2025-03-13/ty-article-opinion/.premium/00000195-8a15-dc7b-adb7-cefda5d30000>in 
a March 14 /Haaretz/ op-ed that the military's practice of using 
Palestinians as human shields in Gaza is far more common than 
acknowledged and that a recent investigation was intended to create the 
false impression that such incidents are infrequent.

“I saw that six investigations were opened by the Military Police (MP) 
regarding the use of Palestinians as human shields, and I almost choked. 
I've seen cover-ups in my life, but this is a new low,” the soldier 
expressed.

“In Gaza, human shields are used at least six times a day. If the 
Military Police want to do their job seriously, they should open at 
least 2,190 investigations. But the MP just want to pretend to the world 
that we're investigating ourselves, so they find a few scapegoats and 
pin everything on them,” the soldier stated, following nine months of 
combat in the strip.

He explained that Palestinian civilians were forced to enter homes in 
Gaza to check for Hamas fighters or explosives and make sure it was safe 
for the soldiers to enter themselves. The soldiers refer to Palestinians 
forced to clear homes in this way as “Shawish” or “slaves.”

Sometimes, Shawish are sent to houses simply to set fire to or blow up 
the house.

During the first months of the Israeli ground invasion, soldiers 
primarily used dogs or robots to clear homes. However, the practice of 
using civilians as human shields expanded over time.

“I didn't understand back then how common it would become. Today, almost 
every company holds 'Shawish,' and infantry forces don't enter a house 
before the 'Shawish' clears it,” he explained.

This means there are at least four Palestinians held against their will 
as human shields in each platoon, 12 in each battalion, and 36 in each 
brigade.

According to the soldier, the most senior levels of the Israeli military 
in Gaza have known about human shields for more than a year, and no one 
tried to stop it. “On the contrary, it was defined as an operational 
necessity.”

“We're holding a group of slaves, and the MP are trying to cover it up 
with six investigations,” the soldier concluded.

The military's use of human shields story was first revealed by 
/Haaretz/ in August last year. A senior military source there said that 
both the Chief of Staff and the outgoing Southern Command Major General 
knew about the procedure.

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