Invading Israeli units strapped explosives around the neck of an elderly Palestinian man in Gaza, forcing him to act as a human shield before killing both him and his wife, according to an investigation by the Israeli news website HaMakom.

The man, believed to be over 80 and relying on a walking stick, was threatened with death if he refused to carry out searches. He was reportedly forced to walk for eight hours, knowing that any mistake could result in his slaughter.

The incident occurred in May of the previous year when Israeli occupation forces from various brigades besieged the home of the elderly couple in Gaza City's al-Zaytun neighborhood. After being coerced into entering homes and tunnels supposedly used by the Palestinian Resistance, the couple was ordered to leave for al-Mawasi, a small area housing forcibly displaced Palestinians. However, as they neared safety, they were both shot dead.

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The tactic of using civilians as human shields referred to as the "mosquito protocol" has been used repeatedly by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, according to HaMakom. This practice, which is illegal under both Israeli and international law, involves forcing Palestinians to enter potentially dangerous areas ahead of Israeli troops. In August, Haaretz reported that the Israeli army had used Palestinians in such operations.

The Israeli military has consistently denied these claims. However, one soldier contradicted the official line, saying, "The mosquito protocol is completely regulated, and it's a very gray zone within the army. It goes down as a regulated order." Despite official denials, the soldier explained that lower-level officers often carry out these orders while higher commanders disown them. "Even when the investigations come out, there's no chance that the IDF will admit that this is the regulated order," the soldier said.

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