11:26 pm - February 22, 2025
In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a deeply disturbing incident has come to light, exposing the harrowing treatment of an elderly Palestinian couple by the Israeli military. According to an investigation conducted by the Israeli outlet The Hottest Place in Hell in collaboration with +972 Magazine, an 80-year-old Palestinian man was forced to act as a human shield by Israeli soldiers. The man, who has not been named, was tied with an explosive cord around his neck and threatened with decapitation if he disobeyed orders. After enduring eight hours of being used as a shield, he and his wife were tragically shot dead by Israeli forces while attempting to flee their home in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood in May.
The investigation reveals the grim details of how the elderly man was exploited by soldiers from the Nahal Brigade. A senior officer tied the explosive cord around his neck, and he was ordered to scout buildings ahead of the soldiers, armed with nothing but his cane. His wife, who remained detained in their home, was eventually allowed to join him, but their attempt to escape to a so-called “humanitarian zone” in southern Gaza proved fatal. Soldiers from a different Israeli battalion, who were unaware of their instructions to flee, opened fire on the couple, killing them instantly. A soldier involved in the incident described how the couple was ruthlessly targeted: “After 100 meters, the other battalion saw them and immediately shot them. They died like that, in the street.”
This shocking incident underscores the Israeli military’s alleged practice of using Palestinian civilians as human shields, a tactic unequivocally prohibited under international law. Soldiers interviewed in the investigation admitted that the elderly man was forced to enter homes ahead of them to check for explosives or militants, effectively putting his life at risk to protect their own. One soldier described the procedure as treating the couple like “mosquitoes,” a dehumanizing term that reflects the military’s disregard for Palestinian lives. The man was repeatedly threatened with execution if he failed to comply with their orders, leaving him no choice but to obey.
The use of human shields by Israeli forces is not an isolated incident. Over the years, numerous reports have surfaced detailing similar abuses. In August, the Israeli daily Haaretz published an exposé revealing that Israeli troops had abducted Palestinian civilians, dressed them in military uniforms, and sent them into dangerous situations to protect soldiers. These individuals, often young men, were outfitted with cameras and forced to navigate tunnels and buildings, all while being held in custody. Their fear and helplessness were starkly evident, as they were paraded in front of potential threats with their hands cuffed and faces filled with terror.
Other incidents have further highlighted the systemic nature of this practice. In June, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces tied a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of their military jeep, using him as a human shield. Francesca Albanese, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur to the occupied Palestinian territory, condemned the act, calling it a clear example of “human shielding in action.” Similarly, in January 2024, a Palestinian shop owner named Bahaa el-Din Abu Ras recounted how he was used as a human shield for nearly two hours in the West Bank town of Dura. Abu Ras described the overwhelming fear and uncertainty he experienced as he wondered whether he would survive the ordeal or be killed in the midst of the chaos.
The international community has repeatedly condemned such practices, yet they continue to occur with alarming frequency. The use of human shields violates fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the use of civilians to protect combatants or military targets. Despite these clear prohibitions, Israeli forces appear to persist in employing Palestinian civilians as tools for their military operations, subjecting them to unbearable risks and trauma. The killing of the elderly couple in Gaza serves as a harrowing reminder of the devastating human cost of such tactics and the urgent need for accountability.
As the conflict in Gaza and the occupied territories persists, the international community must demand justice for victims like the elderly Palestinian couple and ensure that those responsible for such abuses are held accountable. The continued use of human shields by Israeli forces not only violates international law but also perpetuates a cycle of violence and impunity that further entrenches the suffering of Palestinian civilians. The voices of those who have endured such atrocities must be heard, and their stories must serve as a call to action for the global community to stand up for human rights and dignity in the face of unchecked power and oppression.