The US gathered intelligence last year of Israeli officials discussing how their soldiers had sent Palestinians into Gaza tunnels they believed were potentially lined with explosives, two former US officials familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The information was shared with the White House and analyzed by the intelligence community in the final weeks of former US President Joe Biden’s administration, the officials said.
International law prohibits the use of civilians as shields during military activity. Israel has long accused Hamas of using human shields as a strategy by operating in plainclothes from heavily populated areas and buildings such as schools, mosques, and hospitals. Media reports have indicated that the terror group has used civilians as human shields, though Hamas has denied those accusations.
The officials, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security information, did not provide details on whether the Palestinians referenced in the intelligence were prisoners or civilians.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said it “prohibits the use of civilians as human shields or coercing them in any way to participate in military operations.” The Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating “suspicions involving Palestinians in military missions,” the statement said.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
The Israeli government did not answer questions about whether it discussed the intelligence with the US. Reuters could not determine whether the Biden administration discussed the intelligence with the Israeli government.
Former Biden White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. The CIA did not respond to a request for comment.
IDF troops operate on the eastern side of the Yellow Line in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, in a handout photo issued on November 9, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
Officials inside the Biden administration had long raised concerns about news reports that indicated Israeli soldiers were using Palestinians to potentially protect themselves in Gaza. Washington’s collection of its own evidence on the subject has not been previously reported.
The US intelligence gathered in the final months of 2024 raised questions inside the White House and the intelligence community about how widely the tactic was being used and whether IDF soldiers were acting on guidance issued by military leaders, the US officials said.
The intelligence about the IDF’s use of civilians as human shields was one of several pieces that circulated inside the government during the Biden administration’s late stages. It came as the intelligence community was increasingly analyzing new streams of information that revealed internal Israeli deliberations about its military conduct in Gaza.
Some former US officials said the broad set of intelligence received late in the Biden administration described only individual incidents in Gaza and did not represent overarching Israeli practice or policy.
A photo released by the Israel Defense Forces on October 1, 2025, showing IDF activity in the Gaza Strip. (Israel Defense Forces)
Reuters reported last week that around that time, the Biden administration had also gathered intelligence that Israeli lawyers warned there was evidence that could support war crimes charges against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza.
The Israeli government did not respond to requests for comment about that story. A ceasefire has been in effect in the territory since October 10.
The former US officials said the new intelligence from inside Israel raised serious concern among top officials who believed the information supported allegations from some inside the US government that Israel was committing war crimes.
If Israel were found guilty of war crimes, the US could be held liable for providing weapons to the IDF. It would also likely force the US to stop sharing intelligence with Israel.
Lawyers from across several US agencies determined in the final weeks of the Biden administration, however, that the evidence did not show that Israel had committed war crimes and that the US could continue supporting Israel with weapons and intelligence.
Watch DocuNation Season 3: The Heart of Israel
when you join the ToI Community
Support The Times of Israel’s independent journalism and receive access to our documentary series, DocuNation: The Heart of Israel.
In this season of DocuNation, you can stream seven outstanding Israeli documentaries with English subtitles and then join a live online discussion with the filmmakers. The selected films show Israel beyond the conflict: a place of storytellers and musicians, of dreamers, makers, and communities rooted in meaning and trust.
When you watch DocuNation, you’re also supporting Israeli creators at a time when it’s increasingly difficult for them to share their work globally.
To learn more about DocuNation: The Heart of Israel, click here.
Support ToI and get DocuNation
Support ToI and get DocuNation
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You appreciate our journalism
You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel