CIA Information on Israel’s Alleged Use of Gazans as Human Shields
Two former U.S. officials revealed that the United States gathered intelligence suggesting that the Israeli army may have used Palestinians in Gaza as human shields during the war.
According to Reuters, the information indicated that Israeli officials discussed how soldiers allegedly sent Palestinians into tunnels suspected of being rigged with explosives.
The intelligence was reportedly shared with the White House, and U.S. intelligence agencies analyzed it during the final weeks of President Joe Biden’s administration.
International law strictly prohibits the use of civilians as human shields during military operations.
Officials within the Biden administration had long expressed concerns over media reports suggesting that Israeli troops used Palestinians as human shields in Gaza. It was not previously known that Washington had collected its own evidence on the matter.
Investigation and concerns
The former U.S. officials said that the intelligence gathered in late 2024 raised questions within the White House and intelligence agencies about the extent of such practices and whether they were conducted under direct orders from Israeli commanders.
They did not specify whether the Palestinians referred to in the intelligence were civilians or detainees, and they spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the information.
Reuters could not determine whether the Biden administration discussed these findings with the Israeli government. Former White House officials declined to comment, and the CIA did not respond to requests for clarification.
In a statement, the Israeli army said it “prohibits the use of civilians as human shields or forcing them in any way to take part in military operations.” The army added that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division was investigating “suspicions of Palestinians being involved in military missions.”
The Israeli government did not comment on whether it had discussed the intelligence with Washington.
Reports have also accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields, allegedly by placing fighters in civilian facilities such as hospitals, accusations that the movement denies.
Israel launched its military campaign against Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which, according to Israeli data, killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the Israeli campaign has killed over 69,000 Palestinians.
The alleged use of human shields was just one of several intelligence topics reviewed by U.S. agencies during the final phase of the Biden administration, as analysts examined new information about Israel’s internal debates over its conduct in Gaza.
Allegations of war crimes
Last week, Reuters also reported that the Biden administration had obtained intelligence suggesting that Israeli lawyers had warned that there might be sufficient evidence to support war crimes charges against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza.
Israel did not comment on the report.
The former U.S. officials stated that this new intelligence from within Israel caused serious concern among senior American officials who believed it lent weight to internal claims that Israel may have been committing war crimes.
Such a conclusion could make the United States legally accountable for supplying arms to Israel and might force Washington to halt intelligence sharing with its ally.
However, lawyers from several U.S. agencies later concluded, in the final weeks of the Biden administration, that the available evidence was insufficient to prove that Israel had committed war crimes, allowing continued military and intelligence cooperation.
Torture allegations at the United Nations
Meanwhile, Israel was questioned in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday by the UN Committee Against Torture over reports of torture and abuse of Palestinian detainees.
Committee rapporteur Peter Vedel Kessing said the body was “deeply alarmed by the numerous reports from various sources describing what appears to be systematic and widespread torture and ill-treatment of Palestinians, including children and vulnerable groups.”
He added that torture appeared to have become “a deliberate and widespread tool of state policy,” used “throughout the judicial, administrative, and operational systems — from arrest to interrogation to imprisonment.”
The Committee Against Torture is composed of ten independent experts who monitor states’ compliance with the Convention Against Torture.
The 83rd session, held from November 10 to 28, includes reviews of Albania, Argentina, Bahrain, and Israel.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Daniel Meron, rejected the allegations, calling them “misinformation.” He stated that Israel “remains committed to upholding its obligations in line with our moral and ethical values, even when facing challenges posed by a terrorist organization.”
