US Intel Report: Allegations of Israeli Officials Discussing ‘Human Shields’ Tactic in Gaza
London-UK, November 13, 2025
Israeli Officials Discussed Use Of Human Shields In Gaza: US Intelligence.
A significant international incident has erupted following US intelligence reports alleging that Israeli officials discussed the controversial and illegal use of human shields during military operations in Gaza.
This US intelligence—gathered in the final months of the previous administration—has now been brought into the public domain, detailing discussions among Israeli officials about sending Palestinians into Gaza tunnels that were suspected of being lined with explosives.
The use of human shields is a grave violation of international law, and this revelation threatens to deepen the diplomatic rift between Washington and Jerusalem, placing intense pressure on the Israeli government to provide immediate and comprehensive answers.
Headline Points: The Intelligence and its Implications
Intelligence Source and Timing:
The information was collected by the US intelligence community last year, during the final weeks of the former US President Joe Biden’s administration, and shared with the White House.
The Core Allegation:
The intelligence suggests that Israeli officials discussed how soldiers had sent Palestinians into the extensive Gaza tunnel network, which Israeli forces suspected contained explosives, effectively using the Palestinians as advanced human shields to map or clear the way.
International Law Violation:
The practice of using civilians as shields, or coercing them into participating in military operations, is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions.
IDF Response and Internal Probe:
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement confirming that the practice is officially prohibited and disclosed that the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating “suspicions involving Palestinians in military missions.”
Context of Past Reports:
The intelligence follows repeated and consistent reports—including testimony from Israeli soldiers in a recent documentary—that the practice of using Palestinians to assist with operations, often called the “neighbor procedure” or “mosquito protocol,” continued despite official bans and previous court rulings.
The Details of the US Intelligence Disclosure
According to two former US officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the national security information, the US intelligence documented internal Israeli discussions among officials regarding the conduct of some Israeli soldiers on the ground in Gaza.
The key part of the intelligence concerns the dangerous and complex operations against the vast underground tunnel network used by Hamas.
The discussions reportedly centered on the tactic of sending Palestinians—whose status, whether civilian or detainee, was not clarified in the public report—into tunnels that were believed to be booby-trapped or mined.
This tactic serves a dual purpose: gathering crucial intelligence on the tunnel’s layout and contents while protecting the Israeli soldiers from direct risk, placing the life of the Palestinian individual in immediate jeopardy.
This classified information circulated within the White House and the broader intelligence community late last year, raising profound questions inside the administration about the widespread use of the tactic and whether it was being implemented ad-hoc by field commanders or was a policy debated and approved at higher levels of the Israeli military or political hierarchy.
This was significant because Washington’s collection of its own evidence confirmed long-standing concerns and news reports regarding the alleged use of Palestinians to protect Israeli soldiers in combat zones.
Israel’s Official Denial and Investigation
In the face of the explosive report, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a preemptive statement reiterating its official military code.
The statement maintained that the IDF “prohibits the use of civilians as human shields or coercing them in any way to participate in military operations.”
Furthermore, the IDF attempted to mitigate the diplomatic fallout by announcing that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division (MPCID) is currently investigating “suspicions involving Palestinians in military missions.”
While the IDF’s official policy prohibits the practice, the new US intelligence suggests a severe breakdown in adherence to these rules among Israeli officials or field units.
The practice has a documented history within the Israeli military. Known as the “neighbor procedure,” it was formally prohibited by the Israeli High Court of Justice in 2005.
Despite the ban, Israeli human rights organizations, such as B’Tselem, have repeatedly documented cases of the practice continuing under different informal names like the “early warning” procedure or the “mosquito protocol.”
The Legal and Diplomatic Fallout
The use of human shields falls under the most serious category of war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The report places immense scrutiny on Israel’s conduct in the conflict and will undoubtedly be seized upon by international bodies and the ICC prosecutor, who is already pursuing an investigation into the situation in the Palestinian territories.
For the United States, the intelligence report is particularly uncomfortable. It complicates President Donald Trump’s administration’s staunch defense of Israel’s military actions.
While the US has traditionally stood by Israel, the collection of its own intelligence confirming the high-level discussions around the illegal tactic forces a diplomatic reckoning.
Failure to address the issue decisively risks undermining the US position on international humanitarian law and alienating key regional and global allies.
The US government has not officially commented on whether the intelligence was discussed with their Israeli counterparts, adding a layer of ambiguity to the diplomatic communication channel.
The convergence of this US intelligence report with recent testimony from Israeli soldiers revealing a “breakdown in norms and legal constraints” in Gaza confirms a troubling pattern.
The calls for a transparent and rigorous investigation, not only by the IDF’s MPCID but also by an independent international body, are likely to reach a fever pitch. The protection of civilians, which the international community demands, is directly compromised by any deliberate or tacit policy that facilitates the use of human shields.
