**On May 24, 2025**: According to Masafering: *"Last night settlers invaded agricultural land called Huwara, near the village of Al-Deirat, located east of Yatta. They cut down more than 100 olive trees, destroyed many agricultural fences, broke the cover of a water cistern, and fled. The extensive damage to the olive trees and fences comes at a time when Shimon Atiya and youths from his outpost invade these vineyards on a daily basis with their flocks."* **On Augustus 19, 2025:** A new settler outpost was established in Hawara, near Dirat, on private Palestinian land with open support from the occupation authorities. Shimon Atiya brought furniture, water tanks, and other equipment to the site. Issachar Man and employees of the Mount Hebron Council also participated in the construction. Settlers drilled holes in the fence of a nearby Palestinian house and placed Israeli flags. Residents fear the outpost will block access to their farmland and that Atiya and his group will terrorize them in their homes.

In Wadi Tiran (Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron), Palestinian shepherd families have faced escalating settler harassment since October 2023. Settlers from the nearby Havat Yehuda outpost graze sheep on Palestinian fields, reducing grazing for local animals, and sometimes use military personnel to enforce claims. Families report threats, home intrusions, property damage, destruction of the only village road, and drones monitoring daily life. Children have been endangered by settler flocks and dogs. These actions have created fear and insecurity, with some neighboring families already displaced. **On November 12, 2023:** Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian herding community of Wadi Tiran, in the southern West Bank. This is after 2 threatening visits the day before. Israeli Police did nothing though residents reported specific individuals. They caused damages on resident vehicles. **On March 1 2024:** In the morning, a settler came from the direction of “Meitarim Farm” outpost to the wheat fields of Wadi Tiran village. He drove away the village children and the flocks and ran over one boy's foot before fleeing the scene. Te outpost, "Meitarim Farm" is home to Yinon Levi and Eilai Federman, who are under US sanctions after Levi *"led a group of settlers that engages in intimidation."* According to the UK, Feldman *"was involved in a large number of incidents against Palestinian shepherds in the South Hebron Hills."* Together with other youths, and with the full support and assistance of the army, Levy and Friedman have expelled five Palestinian villages in the area. Wadi Tiran is the only village around whose residents have not yet fled. In the afternoon, a few hours after the sheep herd was expelled in Wadi Tiran, settlers returned to the village. This time they came on horseback, and drove out the herd again. All this happens with the knowledge and encouragement of the IDF, which monitors and follows and intervenes only when the settlers' thugs are in danger. The police did nothing when the settlers expelled the five villages. The police did nothing when Yinon Levi blocked off Wadi Tiran from all sides with a bulldozer. The police did nothing when settlers came down and attacked the village, vandalizing vehicles and threatening to murder residents. **On March 11, 2024:** A convoy of bulldozers arrived in the village of Wadi Tiran to demolish a residential room in the house of an old man who was born in the village long before the occupation of the West Bank. **On March 24, 2024:** During Purim, settlers entered the village of Wadi Tiran on an ATV, allegedly armed and drinking alcohol, drove out local residents who were grazing livestock, and tampered with a community water cistern, possibly trying to place something inside it (unclear what). **On June 8, 2024:** Ynon Levi, armed with a pistol, and Eili Federman, two settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost who were responsible for the expulsion of several villages at the beginning of the war, harassed the residents of Wadi Tiran while they were harvesting their hay on privately owned land near the village of Shuweika. **On September 27, 2024:** Just after having forcibly expelled hundreds of residents from Zanuta (Masafer Yatta), setters have started to harrass additional Palestinian communities in the area in order to appropriate their land. This settler attacked a family in Wadi Tiran and then blocked Rabbis for Human Rights activist from accessing the area. **On February 5, 2025:** Masked settlers near Al Dhahriya abducted a young shepherd from Wadi Tiran, blindfolded and tied him, and mocked him while accusing him of grazing on land they sought to seize. The land had long been farmed by his family, but a settler from the nearby Havat Yehuda outpost recently plowed it to claim control. After detaining him for about an hour, the settlers drove him around, mistreated him, and eventually abandoned him several kilometers from his home. **On Augustus 5, 2025** Settlers on an ATV stormed into the village lands, speeding and sounding loud sirens to torment the residents and their livestock. The abuse of the residents of Wadi Tiran—a small community on the outskirts of the town of Dhahiriya has been intensifying again recently, and the access road to the village was blocked months ago by settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost. Since the nearby village of Zanuta was expelled, the residents of Wadi Tiran have experienced violence, property damage, and threats, in addition to frequent incidents of flocks being driven off their grazing lands and repeated acts of intimidation. **On September 12, 2025:** In the evening, settler women on an ATV (arboring the "Third Temple" flag) invaded the village of Wadi Tiran; one of them cut a barbed-wire fence in a Palestinian residential compound and entered it with her companions, waving a box cutter proudly. **On March 7, 2026:** In the morning, the settler Elyashiv Nachum threatened the residents of Wadi Tiran, warning them not to graze their flocks on the privately owned Palestinian lands surrounding the village. **On April 24, 2026:** Settler Elyashiv Nachum, the owner of the “Havat Yehuda” outpost, along with other settlers, are invading private Palestinian land in the village of Wadi Tiran with a tractor and harvesting wheat in an attempt to take control of the area. **On May 10, 2026,** a settler from Havat Yehuda outpost threatened residents, telling them they had a few days to pack their belongings and leave - or the settlers would bring in the army to forcibly expel them. **On May 11, 2026,** An Israeli settler from the outpost of Havat Yehuda, accompanied by soldiers, entered the Palestinian homes at night, operated a drone over the village in the morning, and later returned with the army while attempting to find pretexts to expel solidarity activists. They grazed their flocks on privately owned Palestinian land, while Palestinian residents are prevented from grazing and are forced to keep their livestock confined in pens.

Shiʿb al-Butm (AKA Sha'ab al-Butum) and Umm Darit are small Palestinian herding communities located in the Masafer Yatta area of the South Hebron Hills in the West Bank, within Area C under full Israeli control. They have been the subject of repeated reports of harassment and pressure linked to nearby Israeli settler outposts and settler activity in the surrounding hills. Documented incidents include intimidation of shepherds, attacks on residents, damage to property and livestock, and restrictions on access to grazing land, which is essential for their livelihoods. Human rights organizations describe a broader pattern of sustained pressure, especially in recent years, involving both settlers and the broader security environment, contributing to what they characterize as a coercive context that increases the risk of displacement. This situation has been widely reported by UN bodies and human rights groups as part of a wider trend of escalating settler violence and land pressure in the South Hebron Hills. Umm Darit is located near the village of Shi‘b al-Butum, and its residents suffer from frequent harassment and severe violence by settlers, who mostly come from the outpost “Droma,” established by the settler Amichai Shilo just a few hundred meters from the homes. **On February 2025**, Amnesty International stated that "The Palestinian community of Shi’b Al-Butum in Masafer Yatta is at imminent risk of forcible transfer due to increasing state-backed settler attacks, as well as home demolitions, restrictions on access to land and illegal settlement expansion by the Israeli authorities, Amnesty International said today. This herding community, home to some 300 Palestinians, is one of the 12 communities that make up the area of Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, and that for decades has been subjected to growing state-backed settler attacks and oppressive measures by the Israeli authorities. Since 7 October 2023 the situation has significantly worsened. Unless measures are immediately taken to hold violent settlers accountable, stop home demolitions and the expansion of nearby settlements, this community – like others in the area – will be forcibly displaced. The situation of the Shi’b Al-Butum community is a microcosm of what Palestinians, in particular herding and Bedouin communities, are facing across most of the occupied West Bank. Settlers trespass on their land, vandalize and steal their property, harass and physically assault them with total impunity. ## **Timeline of the events:** **On February 2024,** in the evening, settlers arrived at a family home in Umm Darit near Shaab al-Butum, attacked the family with stones, and attempted to run over shepherds and their sheep. Later, settlers in uniform arrived, and together they took the father and his son toward a nearby settlement on an ATV. Shortly afterward, dozens of armed settler-soldiers, including Bezalel Talia, entered Shaab al-Butum, moved through homes with weapons drawn, destroyed property, and reportedly detained another resident. The fate of the three taken residents remained unknown at the time.

Settlers from the Mishkeh Man outpost, including Yissakhar Man, are used to invade the Palestinian village of Tuba, some armed, entering private courtyards and watering their flocks at the villagers’ water source. These actions are part of a recurring pattern: provocations meant to elicit a reaction from residents, followed by settler violence, arrests, and full cooperation from Israeli police, army, and media. In recent months, Tuba has faced ongoing settler violence, including arson, physical assaults, arrests of victims, and daily expulsion of shepherds from grazing lands. ### **Chronology of the events** **July 21, 2024** After dark Yissakhar Man arrived in the village of Tuba and went on a rampage with his ATV, at one point dangerously and threateningly accelerating toward a 16-year-old boy. **August 9, 2024** The settler Yissakhar Man and another settler from the Mishkeh Man outpost invaded the lands of the village of Tuba with their flock, watering the sheep at the village’s water cistern. The settlers were accompanied closely by uniformed bodyguards: settler-soldiers. **On April 5, 2025** About ten settlers, among them Yissakhar Man — one of the owners of the outpost Mishkeh Man — invaded the village of Tuba today, some of them armed, and entered the courtyards of homes. The police made sure to show up the moment the settlers had already left the area.

**On June, 2024:** Israeli forces demolished a large residential home in Jawaya. During the demolition, they also found an opportunity to beat some of the residents **On July 5, 2024** Footage shows Israeli settlers attacking a group of foreign peace activists visiting the Palestinian village of Al-Jawaya south of Al Khalil in the occupied West Bank. **On July 21, 2024** In the morning, a bulldozer working for settlers flattened land belonging to the village of Jawawiya. The work is taking place right next to the vast area already allocated to Yissakhar Man — at the expense of Jawawiya’s grazing lands — where a vineyard was planted over two years ago. As far as we know, the work is illegal even under Israeli law, and certainly under international law. **On Augustus 5, 2024** Destruction of a water cistern today in the village of Jawaya. At the height of summer, Israeli demolition forces arrived to destroy a cistern used by the residents of Jawaya, who cannot connect to a regular running water supply because the occupying forces refuse to allow them to develop an organized water system. **On Augustus 8, 2024** IDF demolition vehicles destroy a water well in the Wadi Al-Jawaya **On March 15, 2025** - Israeli settlers with ATV quad chased Palestinian shepherds in Jawaya village. - According to Waffa, Israeli sttlers, under the protection of Israeli military forces, attacked shepherds in the Masafer Yatta region, south of Hebron, forcing them at gunpoint to leave their lands. - Osama Makhamreh, an anti-settlement activist, told WAFA that settlers assaulted the family of Ahmad Barghash al-Shawahin while they were herding their livestock in Wadi al-Jawaya. The settlers chased them and forced them, under threat of weapons, to abandon their land. - According to Osama Makhamreh, heavily armed settlers also stormed Khirbet al-Tuba, terrifying children and women.

### Rotem (Hebrew: רותם) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the northern Jordan River Valley along the Allon Road south-west of Shadmot Mehola, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council.In 2022 it had a population of 275. The international community considers Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law. ### Tene Yarok Farm of Didi Amosi (father of Gilad Amosi) About a decade ago, Didi Amosi established the Tene Yarok farm near the settlement of Rotem in the Jordan Valley. In recent years, residents of Palestinian communities from the area have testified about the harassment and expulsion of their herds by settlers who came from the direction of the outpost. Didi Amosi, who was also the security officer of the Rotem settlement, was reprimanded a few years ago for attacking an activist from the Jordan Valley activists group who accompany Palestinian shepherds who are suffering from bullying and harassment by settlers and the authorities. Last December, a settler who came from the direction of the outpost attacked two activists near the Farisiyah Palestinian community, and they needed hospital treatment. Recently, a Palestinian family from the Farisiyah community, near which the outpost was established, was forced to leave their homes. In this video, Didi is seen driving into a herd of sheep and then attacking an activist and throwing his phone. ### Chronology of the expansion of Rottem Settlement violence **In 2016,** Israel has announced a new master plan for expanding the Rotem colony in the northern Palestinian Jordan Valley, seizing 1,574.3 dunums of Palestinian land that was originally confiscated in 1980 for "military purposes." The plan includes residential expansion, tourism, agricultural and industrial facilities, and public spaces. Rotem, initially a military base, later became an agricultural settlement and continues to receive significant state support, while Palestinians in the area face severe restrictions. The expansion violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions and international law, which prohibit Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. **On February 20217** Israeli settlers from Rotem colony have begun establishing a new outpost to the west of Rotem, in the Palestinian area of Wad Al-Malih, Tubas governorate. The settlers have set up two caravans as the initial step in taking over more Palestinian land. This expansion violates Palestinian land rights and threatens further land confiscation. The Israeli government's support for such outposts, through proposed legalization bills, accelerates the process of settlement expansion. This is part of a broader pattern of Israeli colonization in the West Bank, which contravenes multiple UN Security Council resolutions and international law prohibiting settlements in occupied territories. **On April 19, 2022** Israeli settlers installed two caravans in the Ihmayyer area, part of Palestinian land belonging to the Al Farsiya community. This marks the beginning of a potential new settlement, a process that has been repeated in nearby areas, like Maskiyyot. Over time, such settlements grow, leading to the construction of permanent housing, roads, and other infrastructure, all supported and protected by the Israeli military. This expansion is part of a broader policy of land confiscation and ethnic cleansing aimed at displacing Palestinian communities from the Jordan Valley. On the same day, Israel's National Nature Assessment Program declared the nearby Ein El-Hilwe area a nature reserve, renaming it after Israeli colonies and erasing the Palestinian presence. This follows a history of restricting Palestinian access to the land, which had previously been declared a closed military zone. The community is concerned that the installation of the nature reserve sign is the first step in further restricting their access and control over the land. **On March 2024** Luai Abu Muhsen, a 42-year-old resident of al-Farisiyah, describes the ongoing harassment and violence his family faces from Israeli settlers in the area, especially over the past two years. They are frequently blocked from accessing pasture, beaten, and their tractor has been confiscated twice. On December 17, 2023, while tending to their sheep, settlers in a pickup truck deliberately ran over two sheep and attacked Luai's brother, Barakat, with a sharp object, causing a deep wound. Despite calling for help, the Israeli police and army arrived but did nothing, demonstrating their collaboration with the settlers. Luai expresses frustration, noting that settlers have fenced off their land, making it harder to sustain their livestock. The settlers have become dominant in the Jordan Valley, and the Abu Muhsen family feels unsupported by authorities. Other families have been forced to leave due to threats and violence, and Luai highlights the lack of action from the Israeli authorities. Recently, Israeli activists have been staying in the community to offer protection, but the settlers’ violence continues, including destroying tents and intimidating those who attempt to support the Palestinian community. **On Augustus 21, 2024** The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has reported that recent settler violence in the occupied West Bank has led to the "largest forcible transfer" of Palestinians since October 7.Three Palestinian communities, totaling 119 individuals, have been displaced in the last ten days due to attacks by illegal settlers who established new outposts and blocked access to water. Two communities, *Al-Farsiya Khallet Khader* and *Al-Farisiya al-Zu’bi*, have been completely abandoned, while only one family remains in *Ein al-Hilweh – Um al-Jmal*. The NRC holds Israel responsible as the occupying power for the actions of the settlers, emphasizing that these actions are a grave violation of international law. The violence has displaced or put at risk the remaining 18 communities in the Al-Maleh region, causing significant damage to Palestinian livelihoods and violating their rights. The NRC also highlighted that humanitarian aid worth nearly a quarter of a million euros has been affected or destroyed by settlers. The organization has called for Israel to shut down illegal settler outposts, investigate settler attacks, and hold perpetrators accountable. Additionally, reports revealed that illegal settlers have intentionally started 273 fires on Palestinian land since October 7, contributing to further violence and displacement. **On March 2, 2025** Israeli settlers released their livestock into the rain-fed crops of Palestinian farmers in Khirbet al-Farsiya village, located in the northern Jordan Valley, region, northeast of the occupied West Bank. They grazed their sheep in the Palestinian agricultural fields, causing significant damage to the crops. Settler routinely allow their livestock to graze in Palestinian farmland, leading to considerable losses. Annually, they destroy hundreds of dunums of agricultural land in the northern Jordan Valley, in addition to blocking Palestinian farmers from grazing their livestock, raiding their homes, intimidating families, and attempting to steal livestock. **On March 26:** - Three settlers, led by Gilad Amosi, invaded the Palestinian village of al-Farsiya at 01.00 A.M., one of them drove around on an ATV, shouting at residents and human rights activists. Then the settlers set up camp on the hill 50 meters away from the village. - The activists confronted the settlers, who called Israeli police. The police arrived, questioned the activists, got their ID numbers and left. For the next 2.5 hours the settlers sat on the hill and the activists monitored them from the village. - At 03.30 A.M. one of the settlers, armed with an M16 assault rifle, invaded the village once again. When he was confronted by the activists and residents, he started pushing them, and then hit three people with the barrel of his gun. All three sustained minor injuries. The settler then cocked his gun and pointed it at the activists and residents, including children. After being further confronted and filmed by the activists, he retreated back to the hill. - At 06.00 A.M. Israeli Occupation soldiers invaded the village together with the police. They once again pointed weapons at the human rights activists, threatened and pushed them. Israeli police arrested one of the activists. - This is part of an escalating campaign of ethnic cleansing of the Jordan Valley. Almost daily, the Palestinian village of al-Farsiya is being targeted by settler terror, spearheaded by settler leader Didi Amosi (see picture, left), and the security coordinator of the settlement Rotem Daniel Ran (see picture, right). Several Palestinian communities in the area have already been expelled, and without urgent intervention, the same will happen to al-Farsiya. **On Augustus 13, 2025:** at around 3am, settlers attacked one of the families in Khirbet Al-Farsiyya, resulting in the injury of one of the Palestinian residents. Ten settlers descended the hill toward the family’s tents without using lights, going completely unnoticed by the residents who were sleeping. They attacked Shamekh Daraghmeh’s eldest son, Mustafa. The settlers were dressed in dark, military-style clothing and had their faces covered. While Mustafa was lying in bed, they pepper-sprayed him, attempted to strangle him with a metal chain, and cut his leg with a sharp object, causing an injury in his leg that required four stitches. As soon as other family members awoke and found the settlers right outside their tents, they resisted the attack. The assailants quickly fled, running back over the hill toward the outpost from which they had come. The families in Al-Farisiya are under constant threat of being evicted or attacked by settlers. Just a few weeks earlier, Abu Mustafa Daraghmeh was assaulted by a group of settlers while shepherding his herd. He sustained multiple injuries and 17 of his sheep were stolen.

This village in Masafer Yatta area was regularly harass by violent settlers in order to steal their land. The police's deliberate daily disregard for these crimes enables and legitimizes future attacks. The apartheid regime's unwillingness to enforce the law on settlers serves as an incentive for their acts of terror. ## Chronology : **2020** **On April 21, 2020**, Jabarin Abu ‘Aram, a 56-year-old father of nine, was grazing his flock near Qawawis when two settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost approached him. One pepper-sprayed him, and both threw stones at him, stealing two of his goats. Abu ‘Aram’s wife intervened, but the settlers fled with the goats. Despite reporting the incident and providing evidence to the police, no action was taken, and the goats were never returned. Abu ‘Aram expressed frustration at the lack of protection, noting that settlers operate with impunity, leaving his family in fear of constant attacks. The outpost of Mitzpe Yair, established in 1998, has a history of encroaching on Palestinian lands near Route 317. [source](https://www.btselem.org/node/212932) **2024** **On Sunday, March 17,** Jibril Nu’man, 59, was grazing his flock on his private land near Qawawis when a settler soldier ordered him to leave. After refusing, Nu’man and another shepherd, Taleb Nu’man, were handcuffed, detained for five hours without food during Ramadan, and taken to a military camp before being released later that evening. **On Saturday, March 23,** Jibril Nu’man was again grazing his flock, this time with three Israeli activists, when a settler arrived, followed by two masked soldiers. One soldier threatened Nu’man with a gun, argued over the land’s ownership, and forced him to hand over his ID. After further confrontation, the soldiers tied and blindfolded Nu’man, beat him, and took him to a nearby camp, where he was detained for several hours without food, water, or the ability to pray. He was eventually dropped off far from his village. In a testimony he gave [B'tselem](https://www.btselem.org/video/20240522_soldiers_assaulted_shepherds_in_qawawis_in_south_hebron_hills#full) field researcher Basel al-Adrah on 23 March 2024, Jibril Nu’man recounted his detention by soldiers, some of whom he recognized as settlers **On May 15,** Jibrin Abu Aram was arrested for the fourth time in recent months while on his private land by the soldiers-settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost, which has been attempting to seize Qawawis' land for years. The stated reason was his presence near an illegal road built by settlers on Palestinian land. Even under apartheid laws, Palestinians are allowed near the road, but colonial practices disregard such laws. **2025** **On January 2:** When settlers attacked Jibrin Abu Aram's neighbor the day before, the army and police refused to intervene, highlighting their role in perpetuating abuse against Palestinians to force them off their land. Settlers infiltrated the village of Qawawis late at night and attacked Khaled Al-Najjar brutally. This is not the first time that Najjar has been injured in a settler attack; in 2001, he was seriously wounded when a settler shot him in the stomach. Yesterday, solidarity activists and residents of Qawawis tried several times to speak with the police and urged them to expel the settlers who invade the village lands and destroy fruit trees with their herds, but the police merely ask the settler to move. Five minutes later, as he goes deeper into the Palestinian orchards with his herd, they refuse to send the police back to the scene  **On April 20:** According to masafering, On the moning, three residents of the village of Gwawis went out to harvest barley on their land, near the ruins of Jibrin's house. A uniformed man riding an ATV arrived at the scene, forced them to stop working, and ordered them to sit on the ground in the scorching sun. More soldiers soon arrived and held the landowners for an hour, without providing any explanation. This is a systematic practice of harassment and intimidation as part of the attempt to uproot Palestinian communities from their land: farmers are exhausted with baseless delays every time they work their land, until they stop working it, which makes it legally easier to expropriate it and in practice easier for settlers to do with it as they please.

The Sderot observation point, called the “Kobi’s Hill” or informally as “Sderot Cinema,” is a hilltop area near the city of Sderot overlooking northern Gaza. During periods of conflict, some Israeli visitors gather there using binoculars or viewing equipment to watch military activity in the Gaza Strip. Media coverage has described the site as a public vantage point close to the border that offers direct visibility into Gaza, and it has drawn controversy because of how it is used during war time. In 2017, an ILS 8 million budget was approved to develop Kobe’s Hill near Sderot as a tourist site overlooking Gaza. The hill, equipped with telescopic binoculars, is used to view the Gaza Strip and nearby Israeli communities and is often visited by tourists, soldiers, and diplomats for a “bird’s-eye view” of the border area. It was named after local security coordinator Kobe Harush, who guides visitors there. The site has since been officially renamed Heroes’ Hill in memory of four Israeli soldiers killed there during Operation Protective Edge. On the page of Kobi's hill on the website of the Sderot tourism, the place was described with these words: *"Until just a few years ago, there was only a dirt road leading to the hill, climbed by hikers and field vehicles. Yet, Kobe's Hill has always been a magnet for anyone looking for a high point with a beautiful view and fresh air. It has become a site for masses coming to visit from throughout the country when tensions escalate in the area as they seek a view of what it is like to see a war movie under production. From this hill, you can actually see the rockets as they are launched towards Israel and IDF bombardments in response"* A "Le Monde" piece published on July 23, 2025, highlights the normalization and controversial nature of watching the destruction from a public vantage point, which has been informally dubbed “Sderot Cinema” on social media.

On November 11, 2024, in Al-Ara’ara Bedouin community, near Jaba, east of occupied Jerusalem, Israeli bulldozers, under occupation forces, demolished several structures in the Bedouin Al-Ara’ara community, including an abandoned House (unoccupied since the 1960s), a guesthouse, a house used by women and children, five Sheep Pens, a car repair shop, a mosque. Israeli forces marked additional structures with red paint, indicating potential for further demolitions. **Community Impact:** The Al-Ara’ara community includes over 80 families from the Jahalin Bedouin tribe. **Broader Context:** These demolitions are occurring alongside significant expansion of the Israeli Adam settlement, which is encroaching on lands belonging to the town of Jaba. Sources [1](https://english.palinfo.com/news/2024/11/11/328594/) [2](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/151545) [3](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20241112-israel-demolishes-mosque-home-east-of-jerusalem/)

**Human Shields**: *The use of civilians to protect combatants or military objectives from attack. This practice is explicitly prohibited under international humanitarian law (IHL) as per the Fourth Geneva Convention.* TheUse of Human Shields in Israeli Military Practices, seems depend on whether the IDF is in Gaza or the West Bank, the methods used differ. ## **A. The “Mosquito Protocol” (2024)** A term reportedly used by the IDF to describe the practice of sending Palestinian detainees into potentially dangerous situations to safeguard soldiers during military operations. Palestinian civilians are arrested, detained and allegedly used as “human shields” by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to search tunnels and inspect potentially booby-trapped locations during the Israeli ground invasion in Gaza. Civilians referred to as "shawishim," are sent into high-risk areas before IDF soldiers. These Operations are conducted in various parts of the Gaza Strip, including Rafah. IDF soldiers arrest Palestinian civilians, some as young as 16 and others elderly, are dressed in IDF uniforms, bound, and equipped with cameras to explore dangerous areas. **Recent investigations and developments (2024)** - July and February 2024: Reports emerged of Palestinians being coerced into entering booby-trapped buildings or tunnels in Gaza. - August 13, 2024 (Haaretz): Allegations from soldiers, commanders, and Palestinian detainees revealed that civilians, including minors, were used to inspect hazardous tunnels and buildings.[Israeli leftist newspaper "Haaretz" Investigation](https://archive.md/BKrxB) *IDF Allegedly Uses Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields in Gaza Operations* by the Reporters: Yaniv Kubovich, Michael Hauser Tov on August 13, 2024. - October 21, 2024 (The Guardian): Whistleblower testimonies and reports highlighted systematic practices in Gaza, including tying civilians, forcing them to wear IDF uniforms, and using them for reconnaissance or shield tasks. - October 24, 2024 (CNN): The "Mosquito Protocol" involved forcing Palestinian detainees to enter danger zones. Reports included physical abuse and coercion, with some detainees subjected to beatings or threats. **Key Practices and Allegations:** IDF soldiers abduct Palestinians included minors, elderly individuals, and detainees, in order to force them to: - Enter buildings and tunnels to check for explosives or in Gaza Strip, including Rafah, Khan Younis, Shuja’iya, and Jabaliya. - Perform reconnaissance and operate cameras. - Serve as shields during gunfire or door-knocking procedures. Soldiers and officers allegedly received orders to implement these tactics, with some expressing moral opposition. Civilians were often handcuffed, blindfolded, or dressed in IDF uniforms. IDF units use coercion involved physical abuse, threats, and psychological pressure. Some soldiers expressed moral opposition, describing the practice as mimicking tactics of organizations like Hamas. **The Military Justifications** is the safety of Soldiers (Commanders prioritized minimizing risks to Israeli troops, even at the expense of Palestinian civilians) and the Operational Efficiency (Familiarity with local areas made Palestinian civilians useful for identifying threats or navigating buildings). **Evidence Supporting Allegations** Palestinian detainees and IDF soldiers provided consistent accounts of coercion and abuse. Photographs and Video Footage showed bound civilians being guarded by IDF soldiers. Reports of civilians dressed in military gear with attached cameras for reconnaissance. Human Rights Documentation: Organizations like *Breaking the Silence*, *Middle East Human Right Monitor*,... highlighted the systematic nature of these practices. The investigation includes first-hand soldier testimonies, video footage aired on Al Jazeera, and reports of systematic practices. Despite the IDF’s official denial, which states that such actions are against military regulations, these findings raise significant concerns about violations of humanitarian and legal standards. **Soldier Concerns:** Testimonies from DIF soldiers and commanders indicate ethical or legal discomfort with the practice, which some soldiers equate to endangering civilians for military advantage. They confronted their commanders about International laws but the answer was the following : *"It is better that they explode and not the IDF soldiers"* because their live is less important than IDF lives. In one reported case, a 16 y/O Palestinian was kept for several days, given combat rations, and used as humand shield by soldiers to explore a house. He was later released near a checkpoint confirming for the IDF whitnesses htat he was not involved in terrorism but just a civilian. **Leadership Knowledge and Military Responses:** Allegations that senior officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi and Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, were aware of the practice. **US Reaction:** U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel expressed outrage, stating that the IDF’s actions in the footage “do not reflect IDF values” and are under investigation. **Invesigation of Breaking the silence:** In an interview for *Ha-Makom* website, Nadav Weiman, general director of *Breaking the Silence*, confirmed that the IDF isn't just using Palestinians as human shields, but as human baits. They're forced to wear IDF uniforms to draw fire to themselves. Among the evidence are those on abuses of Palestinian prisoners by IDF soldiers in the Yemen field and the conditions under which detainees are held, the burning and bombing of buildings without security justification, the practice of destruction in retaliation, and the use of Palestinians as human shields. If in previous operations the organization issued a file with all the evidence, in the war they decided to change strategy. When we realized that it would be much bigger than ever, that there are so many forces in different places in the Strip, in different ways, with different tactics, then you need a lot of witnesses for each unit, because otherwise you can't say anything inclusive. So when we had specific testimonies with important stories we took them out". Among these we can name the evidence on IDF soldiers abuses In the Yemen field camp And the inhumane conditions That Gazan detainees are held in, burning and bombing buildings without security or legal justification, a practice of destruction in revenge as well as the use of Palestinians as human shields, known as the mosquito procedure, as published on CNN in an interview with a soldier who testified to this in Breaking the Silence. Under the Mosquito procedure IDF soldiers force Gazan civilians, while being coerced and sometimes blindfolded, to walk in front of the force at the entrance to buildings, tunnels and movement through the area. In the event that the buildings are trapped, Gazans will die and not soldiers. According to the soldier, one of his commanders told him: "'It is better for the Palestinian to explode and not our soldiers". When did you learn about the use of Palestinians as human shields? "In December 2023. We thought it was a crazy officer doing whatever he wanted, I couldn't believe it. Then came another one and another and another one. We turned Liniv Kovovich from Israel, who discovered that the Chief of Staff was sitting in a meeting where human shields were spoken, so apparently the order comes from there. In response to the article, the IDF spokesman claimed that the practice was against the procedures. Several months later, an IDF spokesman confirmed the The case revealed in the hottest placeIn which a commander in the Nahal shot dead a Palestinian who was used as a human shield for the soldiers in Rafah.This time without reservation, even minimally, from the very use of the practice. Weiman says that some of the soldiers testified to arguments with officers in the company about the procedure. Reserves grew up on the fact that it was conducted that was banned by the High Court, that Yair Golan has a commanding comment about it.'." "-Mosquito procedure a hundred times worse -Yes. Because they put IDF uniforms on them and make them a target. Some of the witnesses said they were given uniforms so the IDF did not shoot them, " As in the case of the commander in Nahal who shot a Palestinian In Rafah, and some say that the uniforms are designed to attract fire. When the Palestinian enters the tunnel, Hamas will shoot at him". -Do you have any idea how many of these died? -'I guess that's a number we'll never know.'. [source](https://www.ha-makom.co.il/1057784-2) ### B. Neighbor Procedure/Early Warning Procedure: A specific tactic used by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), primarily in the **West Bank**, where civilians (often neighbors) are asked to communicate with suspects or perform tasks such as clearing buildings. **Israeli Military Justifications** - The military argues that the practice reduces casualties on both sides by avoiding direct confrontations. - The IDF pretend civilians are not coerced and face little to no danger, as evidenced by the provision of protective measures like bulletproof vests. - Local civilians are believed to be better suited to communicate with suspects and navigate complex environments. - The presence of civilians supposedly reduces hostility from suspects, facilitating safer surrenders. **Criticism and Legal Challenges** The practice breaches the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits forcing protected persons to assist an occupying force. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit denies approving civilian use in dangerous military operations and claims the reported incidents are under review. The continuation of the practice after HCJ rulings indicates weak enforcement of judicial decisions within the military. Israel faces backlash for the practice, which undermines its international standing and raises questions about its adherence to IHL. Despite legal bans, reports of continued use highlight a lack of accountability within the IDF. Few soldiers are prosecuted, and penalties remain minimal. Disproportionate Risks & ethical concern: The procedure shifts the burden of danger from soldiers to civilians, violating the principle of proportionality under IHL.The procedure exposes civilians to potential harm, even when “voluntary,” and undermines the principle of distinction in IHL.Both victims and soldiers involved in these operations experience long-term trauma. The use of human shields continues to be condemned by international organizations like Btselem and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). **Documented Cases and Patterns** Testimonies reveal that even minors and women were coerced or threatened into participating.Despite the 2005 HCJ ruling, instances of human shield usage have been reported in subsequent military operations. Case of Bilal (Testimony): A child was sent into a house to check for a suspect, showcasing the direct harm and coercion involved. Consequences ## Chronology of events ### Since October 2023 Gaza Israeli soldier Yosef Scewekeh from the steel cat combat engineering corps showing how they use Palestinian civilians as human shields in Gaza  10 Nov 2023: [A video shows](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231110-israeli-army-in-west-bank-uses-palestinian-detainee-as-human-shield/) Israeli soldiers using a blindfolded Palestinian detainee as a human shield in the West Bank. He is seated on the ground w/ vehicles behind him using him as a shield as an Israeli soldier aim his rifle towards Palestinians May 2024: On May 24, Lt. Amit Nechmya, the Latak platoon commander is seen ordering an elderly man with a partially covered face to move to an unknown location in Rafah. The video was recorded by Sgt Camisa. On October 2024 “Really a nice ending”,This is what Mujinda wrote, commenting on the kidnapping of Palestinians in the West Bank.  ### Before October 2023 **May 2023:** Israeli soldiers forced Nidal, 9, Karam, 11, Ahmad, 2 & Mohammad, 2 to stand in front of Israeli military vehicles while Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters, stun grenades & live ammunition at Palestinians confronting the soldiers in Ramallah dci-palestine.org/israeli_forces… Israeli forces have used at least five Palestinian children [as human shields](https://www.dci-palestine.org/israeli_forces_use_five_palestinian_children_as_human_shields) in the first part of 2023, according to documentation collected by DCIP. **March 2023:** Anas al-Khalili from Nablus. “I was used as a human shield by Israeli forces. They handcuffed me & started shooting from behind me. While I was handcuffed, they pushed me down the stairs, they stayed behind me & were shooting at the men… **9 March 2018** Israel soldiers detained ‘Abd a-Rahim Gheith in Jericho & ordered him out the car, handcuffed him & made him sit on the road for 2hrs. Gheith was then used as a human shied, & was hit by stones thrown at the soldiers. Video evidence: **2014 (Operation Protective Edge):** Documented cases of Palestinians being used as human shields despite the HCJ's ban. **July-Aug 2014:** “Israeli soldiers handcuffed & blindfolded us...they made us stand by the windows as protective shields for them. There was gunfire all around us. They made us stand by the window for 9 hours. We were their shields.” - Ramadan Qudeih **July-August 2014:** “They refused to let us out….I asked for am ambulance for my sister, who fainted, they refused. They held us to protect themselves. -Nazeeha al-Najjar (7:30) **July-August 2014:** "I was taken prisoner, handcuffed & walked almost at gun point…he made me walk forward and he was protected by me…if any shots had been fired, they’d have hit me. He [the israeli soldier] was right behind me. **2010-2013:** "The Committee on the Rights of the Child express deep concern about the continuous use of Palestinian children as human shields and informants. 14 such cases have been reported from January 2010 to 31 March 2013 only." **2008-2009:** The Goldstone Report documented many cases in which the Israeli military used Palestinians as human shields in the 2008-9 war on Gaza, including Majdi Abd Rabbo, Abbas Ahmad Ibrahim Halawa, Mahmoud Abd Rabbo al-Ajrami and others. See p. 218-230 documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/… **February 2009:** “the officers said I wouldn’t see my family unless i did it…he pushed me w/his weapon, held me by my neck & said go." -Magdy Rabbo. [He had to go back & forth between Israeli soldiers & hamas fighers]. The IDF used Magdy as a human shied. **February 2009:** “The Israelis would send us ahead...they made me dig holes in the wall & in the houses first to check in case they were booby trapped. We were put in front so in case there was gunfire, we would be [hit].” -Rabbi Abde Rabi, Gaza resident. 2008-2009 (Operation Cast Lead) & 2014 (Operation Protective Edge): Documented cases of Palestinians being used as human shields despite the HCJ's ban. **2005:** The HCJ fully outlaws the use of civilians in military operations, ruling it as a violation of IHL. Despite this, incidents of the practice persist. **November 2002:** The HCJ temporarily bans the use of civilians as human shields but allows the procedure under specific conditions, such as explicit consent and minimal danger. **In 2002**, 2002: During the Second Intifada, the "Neighbor Procedure" results in the death of a Palestinian civilian, leading to petitions by human rights organizations to Israel’s High Court of Justice (HCJ). IDF forced Palestinians to walk through buildings suspected to be booby-trapped. it ordered them to enter certain areas before the combat forces...the army used residents as a “human shield” to serve as a shield against attack on those forces (p.230) documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/… **May 2001:** the Israeli army took over Hussein Aladi’s home, established an Israeli military base on the roof. For 3 months, they fired every day from there. The army insisted family always remain in the house, to protect the Israeli soldiers in it. **1967:** Start of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The use of Palestinian civilians as human shields during military operations becomes an observed practice. Sources : [ICRC](https://international-review.icrc.org/sites/default/files/irrc_856_2.pdf) [2023 Jcobin](https://jacobin.com/2023/11/human-shields-bombing-gaza-palestine-israel-defense-forces-morally-bankrupt) [jpost](https://www.jpost.com/israel/archive-idf-neighbor-procedure-safe) [Breaking the silence](https://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/testimonies/database/366029) [B'tselem](https://www.btselem.org/human_shields) [Cases documented by Btselem :](https://www.btselem.org/ota/104/all) [2024 : 24/10 “Mosquito Protocol” :](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/24/middleeast/palestinians-human-shields-israel-military-gaza-intl/index.html) [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/21/palestinians-describe-being-used-as-human-shields-by-israeli-troops-in-gaza) [Haaretz, on Augustus 13, 2024 :](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-08-13/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-uses-gazan-civilians-as-human-shields-to-inspect-potentially-booby-trapped-tunnels/00000191-4c84-d7fd-a7f5-7db6b99e0000)