'Israeli use of human shields in Gaza was systematic'

Orders often came from the top, and at times nearly every platoon used a Palestinian to clear locations, said an Israeli officer, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

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Several Palestinians and soldiers told the Associated Press that Israeli troops are systematically forcing Palestinians to act as human shields in Gaza, sending them into buildings and tunnels to check for explosives or Hamas member.

The dangerous practice has become ubiquitous during 19 months of war, soldiers said.

The only time the Palestinian man wasn’t bound or blindfolded, he said, was when he was used by Israeli soldiers as their human shield.

“Dressed in army fatigues with a camera fixed to his forehead, Ayman Abu Hamadan was forced into houses in the Gaza Strip to make sure they were clear of bombs and gunmen,” he said.

When one unit finished with him, he was passed to the next.