Israeli soldier speaks out about controversial military practices in Gaza
In a recent report by CNN, a soldier from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and five former Palestinian detainees have come forward with alarming claims regarding the Israeli military’s operations in Gaza. According to their testimony, the IDF has been forcing Palestinian civilians into potentially booby-trapped houses and tunnels to conduct dangerous reconnaissance missions, a tactic that aims to safeguard the soldiers themselves.
The soldier stated that this practice is alarmingly common among IDF units operating in the Gaza Strip. He revealed that his specific unit detained two Palestinian prisoners for the clear purpose of using them to detect hazardous areas. “We informed them to enter buildings before us. If there were any booby traps, they would explode, not us,” he explained.
The report highlights that this practice has become so widespread within the IDF that it has been given a name: the “mosquito protocol.” While the exact scale and extent of this practice remain unclear, the soldier’s claims, along with those of the five Palestinian civilians, indicate that such scenarios are prevalent throughout Gaza, including areas in northern Gaza, Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Rafah.
Describing an incident in northern Gaza, the soldier explained that his unit initially followed standard procedures before entering suspicious buildings. They would deploy a dog, fire tank shells, or use armored bulldozers to create openings in the walls. However, during one spring day, an intelligence officer brought in two Palestinian detainees, aged 16 and 20, claiming they were affiliated with Hamas and using them as human shields before entering buildings. When the soldier questioned this approach, a superior remarked, “It’s better for the Palestinians to explode than for our soldiers.”
“They used me as a human shield,” was the stark statement shared by the detainees.
Reflecting on the shocking nature of these events, the soldier shared, “It’s truly shocking. After months in Gaza, you often lose your clarity; you’re just exhausted. Of course, I would prefer to keep my soldiers alive. But, you know, this isn’t how the world should operate.”
Two days later, he and his comrades refused to continue with this protocol and confronted their commanding officer. He recounted being told not to “consider international law” and that their own lives were “more important.” Eventually, they released the two detainees, which the soldier felt strongly indicated that the two had no ties to Hamas. “They are not terrorists,” he asserted.
CNN was connected with the soldier through the organization “Breaking the Silence,” which provides a platform for IDF soldiers to share their experiences and verify testimonies, also supplying CNN with supporting photographs. The soldier concluded, “While we see Hamas using Palestinians as human shields, it pains me to admit that our military does the same. Hamas is a terrorist organization, and our army should not adopt the tactics of a terrorist organization.”
