The use of Palestinian detainees as human shields by Israeli forces during the recent fighting in the Gaza Strip has been exposed in exclusive footage that Al Jazeera was able to get.
This is a concerning technique. In the video, detainees are seen being forced to enter tunnels and demolished homes in order to hunt for bombs after Israeli troops tether them with ropes and place cameras on their bodies. Numerous detainees seem injured, and some are even seen in their underwear.
The use of people as human shields is legally forbidden by the Geneva Conventions and international law, which is clearly violated by this heinous behavior. However, there is no question in the mind regarding the video evidence that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have acted in this despicable manner.
Undoubtedly, the world will be outraged by the disclosure of these strategies, further harming Israel's already damaged reputation on its treatment of the Palestinian people.
The international community and human rights organizations must demand that those responsible for this heinous assault be held accountable and must denounce it in the strongest terms possible. Both sides have already suffered greatly and lost many lives as a result of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.