Weekly Commentary: Condemnation - not compassion - for Gazans who opt to be
human shields
Dr. Aaron Lerner 19 September 2025

"Where civilians voluntarily and deliberately position themselves to create
a physical obstacle to military operations of a party to the conflict, they
could directly cause the threshold of harm required for a qualification as
direct participation in hostilities. This scenario may become particularly
relevant in ground operations, such as in urban environments, where
civilians may attempt to give physical cover to fighting personnel supported
by them or to inhibit the movement of opposing infantry troops."
Page 56, INTERPRETIVE guidance on the notion of Direct participation in
hostilities under international humanitarian law by Nils Melzer, Legal
adviser, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
https://www.icrc.org/sites/default/files/external/doc/en/assets/files/other/
icrc-002-0990.pdf

The IDF has gone out of its way to enable the civilian population in Gaza
City to evacuate to safety.

The around half a million Gazans who already voted with their feet against
being human shields for Hamas in Gaza City are proof positive that it is
possible to leave the city if you want to.

Today there is still a heavy flow of evacuees so it is hard to predict how
many Gazans will ultimately opt to sacrifice themselves and their families
as human shields for Hamas.

Whatever their numbers, they deserve condemnation - not compassion.

By effectively becoming combatants, these human shields should be treated as
such.

The reaction by the West to the Hamas human shields could have a direct
impact on how this plays out.

And how this plays out could set an important precedent for future conflicts
in the world.

If Gazans who choose to sacrifice their families as human shields are bad
counterproductive PR, this immoral behavior may very well come to an end.

An end to voluntary human shields not only in Gaza, but in future conflicts
around the world.
________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on
Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il