DayofPal– An 80-year-old Palestinian man was forced to serve as a human shield for Israeli forces during their invasion of Gaza’s Zeitoun neighborhood in May 2024, only to be executed alongside his wife hours later.
An investigation by Israeli outlet Ha-Makom has revealed disturbing details of the incident, exposing the brutal tactics employed by the Israeli military.
According to the report, soldiers from the Israeli Nahal Brigade stormed the couple’s home and found the elderly man and his wife inside. Too frail to flee, the couple explained that they had been unable to reach the so-called “humanitarian zones.”
Instead of offering assistance, a senior Israeli officer devised a horrifying plan: he tied an explosive fuse around the old man’s neck and forced him to lead troops through the neighborhood for eight hours.
With a soldier trailing behind him, hand on a rope connected to the device, the officer warned the elderly man that a wrong step would mean instant decapitation.
Slowly, relying on his walking stick, the Palestinian man was sent ahead to enter and “clear” buildings, ensuring Israeli forces would not encounter resistance.
After hours of being used as a human shield, the couple was ordered to leave on foot, yet the military unit that had enslaved them never informed nearby Israeli troops of their presence.
Just 100 meters away, another battalion spotted the couple and immediately opened fire, killing them in the street.
This case is part of a systematic pattern within the Israeli military, known as the “Mosquito Procedure”—a chilling practice in which Palestinian civilians are forced into harm’s way while soldiers watch from a safe distance.
Despite Israel’s repeated denials, testimonies and investigations have consistently uncovered such tactics being used throughout its ongoing assault on Gaza.
The Israeli military has yet to acknowledge this specific case, stating that it is “not aware” of the incident. However, past investigations have revealed that similar atrocities have been committed numerous times, further cementing the Israeli army’s routine use of civilians as disposable pawns in its war strategy.
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