Army used Palestinians ‘as human shields’

MORE than two dozen Israeli soldiers who fought in the Gaza war say the military forced Palestinians to serve as human shields and used reckless firepower that caused needless deaths, according to a report released yesterday.

One of the soldiers said the army needlessly used powerful weapons such as mortars and white phosphorous, which can cause severe burns, in the three-week offensive last winter.

Unarmed Gazans were shot dead needlessly.