The IDF blog yesterday highlighted the Hamas tactic of using human shields.
Innocent bystanders can be killed as a result of Hamas’ abuse of its own civilians. Instead of keeping its citizens out of harm’s way, Hamas encourages and even forces Gazans to join its violent resistance against Israel. …
In this photo, taken on July 8 from live news footage, a rocket is seen being fired from within a civilian area.
PROOF: #Hamas fires at Israel from populated areas and uses Palestinians in #Gaza as human shields pic.twitter.com/7MJc1HG2I0
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) July 9, 2014
The picture is a screen capture of a rocket launch, seen at 1:00 in the video embedded below.
In addition to placing its weapons in civilian areas, Hamas also encourages civilians to put themselves into the line of fire, as noted previously.
IDF fires warning shot at Hamas target. Residents flee house. Others flock to roof as human shields. Strike aborted. http://t.co/VuhdnvoHQK
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) July 9, 2014
In the video embedded below, Col. Richard Kemp, a military analyst and veteran of the British Army, discusses Israeli efforts to protect civilians in Operation Cast Lead.
The truth is that the IDF took extraordinary measures to give Gaza civilians notice of targeted areas, dropping over 2 million leaflets, and making over 100,000 phone calls. Many missions that could have taken out Hamas military capability were aborted to prevent civilian casualties. During the conflict, the IDF allowed huge amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza. To deliver aid virtually into your enemy’s hands is, to the military tactician, normally quite unthinkable. But the IDF took on those risks. …
And I say this again: the IDF did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.