B'Tselem investigation: IDF used civilians, including minors,
as human shields during gun-battle in Beit Hanun
Today B'Tselem publishes its initial investigation into the Israeli military operation in Beit Hanun, northern Gaza Strip, on July 17. The investigation indicates that during the operation, soldiers took over two buildings in the town, and used six residents as human shields over a period of 12 hours. During this time, there were intensive exchanges of gunfire at the site. Among the buildings' occupants were two minors.
During this time, the soldiers endangered the lives of the civilians by forcing them to remain in a site of fighting, in order to protect the soldiers from gunfire from armed Palestinians. Among other things, the soldiers forced a female occupant of one apartment to walk in front of them while they searched the apartments, and handcuffed occupants and forced them to remain in a stairwell exposed to gunfire.
B'Tselem wrote to the military Judge Advocate General demanding that he immediately open an investigation regarding this incident, and that he prosecute all those found responsible for these illegal acts. In the letter, B'Tselem notes that the use of civilians as human shields by placing them alongside soldiers in order to attain immunity from attack, violates international humanitarian law, as well as IDF regulations.
