We used Gaza civilians as shields, say Israelis

The Israeli army used reckless force in Gaza, resulting in needless deaths and damage, former soldiers said in a report today.

Breaking the Silence, an organisation of Israeli army reservists, interviewed 26 soldiers involved in the three weeks of fighting in Gaza. They said they demolished homes and used unnecessary firepower given the relatively light resistance.

One soldier said his unit used Palestinian civilians as human shields — a practice outlawed by Israel's supreme court — and forced them to enter buildings suspected of housing militants.

"Sometimes the force would enter while placing rifle barrels on a civilian's shoulder, advancing into a house and using him as a human shield. Commanders said these were the instructions and we had to do it," he said.

Another said: "My impression about rules of engagement was that, at least at our level, they were not clear. There were no clear red lines."

None of the soldiers was identified and did not give dates or locations for the events. The report also did not look at the actions of Palestinian militants.

Israel accused the group of "defaming and slandering" the army. Defence minister Ehud Barak said: "The Israel Defence Force is one of the world's most moral armies."

Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Gaza's Hamas government, said: "This report reflects the crimes committed in Gaza."