Israeli Soldiers’ Use of Palestinian Youth as Human Shields
Israeli Soldiers Raid City of Tulkerim, Use Human Shield Tactics
Recent reports from Palestinian state television have highlighted a disturbing incident in the city of Tulkerim, where Israeli soldiers raided a house and laid siege to it. The conflict surrounding the besieged house in the Azbet al-Jerad region of Tulkerim escalated when the Israeli army used a kamikaze drone to target the residence.
Social media images captured a Palestinian being detained by Israeli soldiers during the raid, then tied to the top of a military vehicle and used as a human shield. Additionally, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA documented the presence of numerous unmanned aerial vehicles flying over the city during the raid.
Large numbers of military vehicles, bulldozers, and excavators were also deployed to the Azbet al-Cerad region of Tulkerim, as tensions in the area continued to rise. Tragically, seven Palestinians lost their lives in separate attacks carried out by Israeli forces in the nearby occupied West Bank cities of Hebron and Tulkarim.
Since October 7, 2023, the number of Palestinians killed in attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has climbed to 585. The ongoing conflict has led to increased detentions, raids, and violence against Palestinians in these areas.
This is not the first time Israeli soldiers have employed controversial tactics in dealing with Palestinian civilians. In a previous incident on June 22, Israeli soldiers used a wounded Palestinian as a “human shield” during a raid on the northern West Bank town of Jabīn. The young Palestinian man was tied to a military vehicle, preventing medical aid from reaching him.
Eyewitnesses reported that soldiers used the young Palestinians as human shields to protect themselves from potential attacks while withdrawing from the area. These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges and human rights violations faced by Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in the region.
