US intelligence knew of Israeli plans to use Palestinians as human shields, former officials say

Amid ongoing accusations that Israel has used Palestinians as “human shields” in violation of international law, it has emerged that the US possessed its own intelligence on this practice.

Two former US officials, speaking to the Reuters news agency, stated that Washington obtained intelligence last year about Israeli officials discussing plans to send Palestinians into tunnels suspected of being rigged with explosives.

This intelligence was reportedly shared with the White House during the final weeks of then-US President Joe Biden’s term and was analyzed by American intelligence agencies.

International law explicitly prohibits the use of civilians as “human shields” in military operations.

Washington gathered its own evidence

Numerous documents and testimonies have previously been published regarding Israel’s use of Palestinians as human shields in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. However, the report from Reuters serves as a rare confirmation that Washington has gathered its own evidence on the matter.

The former officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of security issues, did not provide details on whether the Palestinians mentioned in the intelligence were civilians or “detainees.” Reuters could not determine if the Biden administration shared this intelligence with the Israeli government.

Israeli military reports it is investigating the claims

In a written response to questions on the topic, the Israeli military stated that “the use of civilians as human shields or forcing them to participate in military operations in any way is prohibited.” The military also reported that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is examining “allegations regarding the use of Palestinians in military missions.”

‘War crime’ concerns among US officials

According to the former US officials, the intelligence about the Israeli military using civilians as human shields was just one of many memos circulating within the government during the final period of the Biden administration. During this time, intelligence agencies began to more intensively analyze new streams of information reflecting Israel’s internal debates about its military practices in Gaza.

The officials stated that the new intelligence from within Israel caused serious concern among some high-level figures. According to these officials, the information was seen by some circles within the US government as supporting allegations that Israel was committing war crimes.

It was considered that if Israel were found responsible for war crimes, the US could also be held legally responsible for supplying weapons to Israel, and Washington might be forced to halt its intelligence sharing with Israel.

Despite this, US lawyers representing various agencies who convened in the final weeks of the Biden administration concluded that the existing evidence did not demonstrate that Israel had committed war crimes. Thus, a consensus formed that the US could continue providing weapons and intelligence support to Israel.

Some former US officials argued that the comprehensive intelligence package received late in the Biden administration described isolated incidents in Gaza but that it could not be concluded that these reflected a general Israeli practice or official policy.

Other ‘human shield’ and torture allegations

In May of this year, seven Palestinians who said they were used as human shields in Gaza and the occupied West Bank described their experiences in an interview with AP.

In June 2024, a video verified by Al Jazeera showed Israeli soldiers tying a wounded Palestinian man named Mujahid Azmi to the hood of a military jeep during a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin and driving past two ambulances.

In a statement following the incident, the Israeli military claimed the soldiers involved had “violated procedure.” A US State Department spokesperson described the footage as “disturbing” and said it was a “clear violation” of the Israeli military’s “orders and procedures.”

Israel has also been frequently accused of using torture throughout its nearly two-year war in Gaza.

In one of the most resonant incidents, a video leaked from the Sde Teiman military prison, which has become a symbol of mistreatment, showed Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee.

Furthermore, it has been reported that signs of torture were found on the bodies of numerous Palestinian prisoners returned to Gaza since the ceasefire began.

The UN Committee Against Torture is expected to release its non-binding concluding observations, which will include its assessment of the torture allegations against Israel, at the end of November.