US intel revealed Israeli officials discussing use of human shields in Gaza, sources tell Reuters

The US gathered intelligence last year of Israeli officials discussing how their soldiers had sent Palestinians into Gaza tunnels the Israelis believed were potentially lined with explosives, according to two former US officials familiar with the matter.

The information was shared with the White House and analyzed by the intelligence community in the final weeks of former President Joe Biden’s administration, the officials say.

International law prohibits the use of civilians as shields during military activity.

Officials inside the Biden administration had long raised concerns about news reports that indicated Israeli soldiers were using Palestinians to potentially protect themselves in Gaza. Washington’s collection of its own evidence on the subject has not been previously reported.

The US intelligence gathered in the final months of 2024 raised questions inside the White House and the intelligence community about how widely the tactic was being used and whether Israel’s soldiers were acting on guidance issued by military leaders, the US officials say.

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security information, do not provide details on whether the Palestinians referenced in the intelligence were prisoners or civilians. Reuters could not determine whether the Biden administration discussed the intelligence with the Israeli government.

Former Biden White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. The CIA did not respond to a request for comment.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces says it “prohibits the use of civilians as human shields or coercing them in any way to participate in military operations.” The Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating “suspicions involving Palestinians in military missions,” the statement says.