Reuters disclosed that U.S. intelligence agencies obtained materials during the end of the Biden administration, showing that Israeli officials had discussed allowing Palestinians to enter suspected bomb-laden tunnels in Gaza to assist military operations. Two former U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter said that this intelligence was submitted to the White House by the end of 2024 and reviewed by the intelligence community, raising concerns within the government about whether such practices were more widespread and whether they originated from higher-level directives. International law prohibits using civilians as "human shields" in military operations, while the Israeli military stated in a statement that it prohibits forcing civilians to participate in military missions and said that the military police are investigating alleged misconduct. The intelligence content did not clearly indicate whether the involved Palestinians were civilians or detainees, and it is unclear whether Washington has discussed this with Israel. The report states that these materials, along with other intelligence, sparked broader discussions within the government, with some officials believing the content could support allegations of Israel's potential war crimes. If convicted, the United States could face legal risks in its ongoing provision of weapons and intelligence. A cross-agency legal review ultimately concluded that the existing evidence was insufficient to constitute war crimes, allowing the U.S. to continue military support for Israel. Several former officials added that these intelligence records seem to reflect isolated incidents rather than a systemic policy.
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Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1848654782232779/
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