** Israeli Soldiers Allegedly Use Palestinians as Human Shields **

** Reports of Israeli soldiers systematically using Palestinians as human shields in Gaza and the West Bank are raising significant concerns. Whistleblower organization Breaking the Silence claims that this practice has become widespread during the ongoing conflict, which began following Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. According to testimonies from former Israeli soldiers and Palestinian victims, civilians are coerced into clearing buildings or searching for explosives before troops enter.

Ayman Abu Hamadan, a Palestinian man who was used as a human shield, shared his ordeal with the Associated Press, stating he was forced to inspect around 60 houses over a two-and-a-half-week period under threat of death. The Israeli military has formally denied these allegations, asserting that such practices are prohibited, yet it admitted to investigating specific incidents. According to Nadav Weiman, executive director of Breaking the Silence, these accounts illustrate a systemic issue within the military regarding the treatment of civilians, contrasting its condemnation of similar tactics employed by Hamas.

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