Natan Odenheimer

Yeah. Yeah. And what we later found out is that El Dalo's experience wasn't that rare. The Israeli military used Palestinians as human shields again and again throughout the war. We'll be right back.

Yeah. Yeah. And what we later found out is that El Dalo's experience wasn't that rare. The Israeli military used Palestinians as human shields again and again throughout the war. We'll be right back.

So it's very difficult to understand the scale, but we spoke to 16 Israeli defense officials and soldiers. Some of them participated in this practice, and most of them described it as a rather routine practice. And it seemed to us that this practice became more and more widespread throughout the war.

So it's very difficult to understand the scale, but we spoke to 16 Israeli defense officials and soldiers. Some of them participated in this practice, and most of them described it as a rather routine practice. And it seemed to us that this practice became more and more widespread throughout the war.

And one of the reasons that made us understand that is that we went to some people in, say, April or March and asked them, if they know anything about it. And they gave us a hard no. They said, you know, this is not something that they would imagine people would be doing.

And one of the reasons that made us understand that is that we went to some people in, say, April or March and asked them, if they know anything about it. And they gave us a hard no. They said, you know, this is not something that they would imagine people would be doing.

But then again, when we circled back in June or July, suddenly they said that they came across it and even saw it with their own eyes.

But then again, when we circled back in June or July, suddenly they said that they came across it and even saw it with their own eyes.

Exactly, Sabrina. And we were able to confirm that this took place in at least 11 different squads throughout the Gaza Strip. So from the north to the south in five Palestinian cities. And what really gave us a clear idea that this is quite commonplace practice was that it had a term.

Exactly, Sabrina. And we were able to confirm that this took place in at least 11 different squads throughout the Gaza Strip. So from the north to the south in five Palestinian cities. And what really gave us a clear idea that this is quite commonplace practice was that it had a term.

That's right. So the first time we heard these terms was in February. A soldier who came back from the battlefields told us that already in November, he heard a senior commander explain to his deputy that a nearby unit is asking for either a mosquito or a wasp. And what does he mean there? I mean, mosquito and wasp. So luckily for us, the deputy didn't know either.

That's right. So the first time we heard these terms was in February. A soldier who came back from the battlefields told us that already in November, he heard a senior commander explain to his deputy that a nearby unit is asking for either a mosquito or a wasp. And what does he mean there? I mean, mosquito and wasp. So luckily for us, the deputy didn't know either.

And the more senior commander explained to him that a mosquito is a Palestinian who was detained nearby in Gaza and was then being used as a human shield in tunnels or in other dangerous places. As for WASPs, we got varying accounts from sources. What we do know is that a WASP is someone who was in Israel and was brought into Gaza by Israeli intelligence officers for brief and specific missions.

And the more senior commander explained to him that a mosquito is a Palestinian who was detained nearby in Gaza and was then being used as a human shield in tunnels or in other dangerous places. As for WASPs, we got varying accounts from sources. What we do know is that a WASP is someone who was in Israel and was brought into Gaza by Israeli intelligence officers for brief and specific missions.

And there was some disagreement about whether these were detainees or whether these were paid collaborators who volunteered to enter Gaza with the military.

And there was some disagreement about whether these were detainees or whether these were paid collaborators who volunteered to enter Gaza with the military.

So what I understood from several of the soldiers is that these are sometimes Palestinians who have knowledge of the tunnels or other places. Sometimes they were being used as human shields going into those tunnels ahead of the forces, but they were also used for intelligence and sometimes to point to places where they told the Israeli military could potentially be makeshift graves of hostages.

So what I understood from several of the soldiers is that these are sometimes Palestinians who have knowledge of the tunnels or other places. Sometimes they were being used as human shields going into those tunnels ahead of the forces, but they were also used for intelligence and sometimes to point to places where they told the Israeli military could potentially be makeshift graves of hostages.

So places that Hamas have hidden the bodies of Israeli soldiers taken captive on October 7th.

So places that Hamas have hidden the bodies of Israeli soldiers taken captive on October 7th.