WATCH: Verified videos map pattern of Israeli forces using Palestinians as shields in Gaza and West Bank

Palestinian children look on as people seach for survivors in the rubble of a building in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in Gaza City.

A mounting collection of visual evidence from Gaza and the West Bank points to a disturbing pattern: Palestinian civilians are being used as human shields during Israeli military operations, according to a detailed open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigation by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR).

The CIR report cites multiple verified videos circulating on social media, many of which show blindfolded and restrained individuals placed in dangerous proximity to Israeli soldiers, some even tied to military vehicles during active operations.

“The clips, which span several locations across Palestinian territories under Israeli control, depict a troubling consistency: unarmed individuals are bound, hooded, or made to wear military-style vests while positioned at the forefront of advancing units,” the CIR report states.

Several of these videos have been confirmed as authentic by CIR’s independent investigative team. Analysts employed geolocation, drone footage analysis, and comparative video assessments across platforms to determine the precise locations and timings of the incidents.

Shocking documentation obtained by [@AJENews] originating from an Israeli drone showing the use of a Palestinian civilian as a human shield in Shujjaia Neighborhood, East Gaza city last December to search after militants, the man is being monitored by drones the whole time pic.twitter.com/ZdZ4HSS7tb

— Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) May 2, 2024

Disturbing patterns across conflict zones

One clip shows a man strapped to the bonnet of an Israeli armoured vehicle driving through a densely populated residential area. Another clip features multiple bound men walking alongside or in front of armed soldiers, who appear to be either using them as shields or directing fire around them.

“In a separate sequence, drone footage captures a blindfolded man in a combat zone while Israeli troops take cover behind him,” CIR notes.

One of the most graphic videos documented by the CIR shows a stripped, visibly injured man with his hands bound behind his back, surrounded by at least six armed IDF soldiers near an armoured vehicle.

“The man had red circular lesions throughout his body, including on his neck, torso, and right thigh, which were assessed as consistent with wounds caused by airsoft and pellet guns,” CIR said.

Another segment shows this same injured individual entering a damaged building, followed up the stairwell by a soldier carrying a flashlight. CIR matched architectural features, road layouts, and environmental markers to confirm the authenticity and precise locations, not only in Gaza, but also in key flashpoints in the West Bank like Jenin and Nablus.

This indicates that the use of civilians in such roles is not limited to isolated incidents but reflects a more systemic operational practice, the report implies.

Digital tools for real-time verification

The CIR investigation leaned heavily on digital verification methods, using social media posts uploaded just minutes or hours after the events. The team analysed metadata, shadow patterns, and weather cues in combination with satellite imagery to confirm time and place.

Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) served as both an archival source and real-time evidence channel, helping CIR’s OSINT team create a reliable timeline of events.

These findings align with earlier reports, including one from The Associated Press, which documented firsthand testimonies from at least seven Palestinians who said they were used by Israeli forces as human shields during raids to clear areas suspected of harbouring bombs or militants.

Under international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, the use of civilians as human shields is strictly prohibited and categorised as a war crime.

“As fighting continues and civilian protections appear increasingly eroded, these visuals, combined with geospatial data, provide a chilling look into the tactics employed on the ground,” the CIR report concludes.