Washington knew Israeli soldiers used Palestinians as human shields: Report

The US gathered intelligence last year about Israeli officials discussing how their soldiers had sent Palestinians into Gaza tunnels, which the Israelis believed were potentially lined with explosives, according to two former US officials familiar with the matter.

The information was shared with the White House and analysed by the intelligence community in the final weeks of former President Joe Biden's administration, the officials said.

International law prohibits the use of civilians as shields during military activity.

Officials inside the Biden administration had long raised concerns about news reports that indicated Israeli soldiers were using Palestinians to potentially protect themselves in Gaza. Washington's collection of its own evidence on the subject has not been previously reported.

- Reporting by Reuters