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Hiding Behind Civilians, Al Mezan report on The Continued Use of Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields by the Israeli Occupation Forces
“They handcuffed and blindfolded me. Then, they forced us to move out of the room, pushing me with their hands and guns to move although I was blindfolded and pregnant. I heard them pushing others to hurry up as well. I got exhausted and I fell down many times...I told them that I was four months pregnant and couldn't continue but a soldier threatened to shoot me...”
Testimony of woman from As-Sreij neighborhood, April 2008
Perhaps ultimately, this Al Mezan report attests to the futility of seeking protection for Palestinians through the Israeli legal system. In 2005, after a three-year legal battle waged by Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations, the Israeli High Court finally banned the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) systematic practice of using Palestinian civilians, including women and children, as human shields. However, as the witness testimonies in this report demonstrate, and in clear contravention of international humanitarian law, this cruel and sometimes lethal practice continues with immunity in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), with tragic consequences for its victims.
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