In an incident that drew international criticism, a Palestinian civilian was tied to the hood of an Israeli military jeep. Footage from the West Bank shows Mujahid Abadi tied to the front of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) vehicle, and U.S. officials said it appeared troops were using him as a human shield. In response, the U.S. is pushing the IDF to conduct a swift investigation.
“It was shocking,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. “The practice was absolutely unacceptable. Humans should never be used as human shields. The IDF should swiftly investigate what happened, hold people accountable. I saw the statement they put out that the actions were inconsistent with the orders those soldiers received, that it is being investigated and the people involved will be dealt with accordingly. That is absolutely appropriate.”
Speaking from a hospital bed, Abadi recounted the events. He said his day quickly became worse when he stepped outside to check on his uncle’s neighborhood in the West Bank city of Jenin. After seeing a Facebook post about a military presence, he found soldiers nearby. Almost immediately, he was shot in the arm and foot. Hours later, IDF troops bound him to the jeep.
Initially labeled a suspected militant by the Israeli military, IDF officials later found that Abadi was caught in crossfire and was not a threat. The military claimed they secured Abadi to the hood of a jeep to transport him to paramedics.
However, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the army had blocked the area, delaying paramedic access to the wounded for at least an hour. Dashboard camera footage shows the jeep passing two ambulances. Abadi reported being tied to the jeep for about half an hour before being released to paramedics.
In response, the IDF said the soldiers’ actions were inconsistent with their orders and what is expected. The IDF announced that it has launched an investigation.
Meanwhile, Palestinians said this is another example of harsh Israeli tactics employed during conflicts in the occupied West Bank, which have escalated since the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7.
Despite a 2005 Supreme Court ban by Israel, rights groups report that the military continues to use Palestinians as human shields.
