New intelligence reports reveal that Hamas has strategically moved Israeli hostages above ground in Gaza City as part of a calculated effort to restrict Israeli military operations and exploit civilian casualties for international sympathy. This disturbing development represents one of the most egregious violations of international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict.

According to reports from Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, Hamas has deliberately relocated hostages from underground tunnels to residential homes and tents above ground ahead of Israel’s anticipated ground operation in Gaza City. Palestinian sources in Gaza confirmed to Kan that some hostages are being held in houses while others are confined to temporary shelters, strategically positioned to serve as human shields.

The case of Guy Gilboa-Dalal has become emblematic of this cruel tactic. His mother, Merav, received devastating confirmation that her son is being held above ground in Gaza City after Hamas published a video showing him in the backseat of a car on surface streets. “Today I received confirmation that my son is alone, above ground in Gaza,” she told Galei Tzahal Radio in a heartbreaking interview. “This is the lowest of the low. We can’t breathe.”

The psychological torment extends beyond the immediate danger. Merav described the visible deterioration of her son’s condition: “With every sentence he speaks, he has to swallow. I know from the hostages who returned that he is keeping silent because he hasn’t been given enough water. They put him in a long-sleeved shirt so no one would see how frighteningly thin he has become.”

Intelligence reports suggest this repositioning is part of what Hamas calls a “legitimacy ambush” – a strategy designed to maximize civilian casualties and generate international pressure on Israel to halt its offensive operations. The terror organization has simultaneously worked to prevent civilian evacuations from northern Gaza, using threats, propaganda campaigns, and violence against residents attempting to flee south.

This current crisis stems from the October 7, 2023, attack when Hamas-led militants launched an unprecedented terrorist assault on southern Israel. In a coordinated attack that shocked the international community, the militants killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They took 251 hostages from various locations, including kibbutzim, the Nova music festival, and other civilian areas.

The attack represented the deadliest days in Israeli history and marked the beginning of what would become the largest hostage crisis the country has ever faced. The victims ranged from infants to elderly Holocaust survivors, including foreign nationals and workers from various countries who happened to be in the area during the assault.

As of September 2025, the exact number of hostages remaining in Gaza continues to fluctuate due to ongoing diplomatic efforts and tragic developments. According to various reports, approximately 48 to 100 hostages are believed to remain in Hamas custody, with uncertainty surrounding how many are still alive. Some hostages have died in captivity, while others have been killed during rescue operations or Israeli military strikes.

The use of human shields constitutes a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and violates multiple provisions of international humanitarian law, including:

Geneva Conventions: The Fourth Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits the use of protected persons (including civilians and prisoners of war) to shield military objectives from attack or to shield, favor, or impede military operations.

Additional Protocol I: Article 51(7) states that the presence or movements of the civilian population or individual civilians shall not be used to render specific points or areas immune from military operations, particularly in attempts to shield military objectives from attacks.

Customary International Humanitarian Law: The International Committee of the Red Cross recognizes the prohibition on using human shields as a fundamental rule of customary international humanitarian law applicable to all parties in armed conflicts.

Hamas’s systematic use of hostages as human shields represents a deliberate strategy to exploit international legal protections meant to safeguard civilians. By positioning hostages in residential areas and civilian infrastructure, Hamas seeks to create a legal and moral dilemma for Israeli forces while simultaneously using the hostages’ presence as a protective barrier for their military assets and leadership.

The presence of hostages in civilian areas has significantly complicated Israeli military operations in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has established what they call “Coordinated Fire Zones” – designated areas where hostages are believed to be located and where military operations must proceed with extreme caution.

These restrictions have forced Israeli military planners to develop specialized combat techniques in consultation with Military Intelligence, designed to minimize risks to hostages while still achieving operational objectives. However, this has inevitably slowed military progress and potentially allowed Hamas operatives to escape or reposition.

The dilemma is further complicated by Hamas’s practice of preventing civilian evacuations from northern Gaza through threats, propaganda campaigns, and violence against those attempting to flee. This strategy aims to maintain a large civilian population that can be exploited for propaganda purposes when casualties occur during military operations.

Beyond the immediate physical danger, the use of hostages as human shields constitutes a form of psychological warfare against both the hostages themselves and their families. Parents like Merav Gilboa-Dalal endure the unbearable knowledge that their children are being deliberately placed in harm’s way as bargaining chips.

The psychological impact extends beyond individual families to Israeli society as a whole. The knowledge that military operations to eliminate Hamas infrastructure might inadvertently harm hostages creates a paralyzing moral dilemma that Hamas exploits to maintain operational freedom and international sympathy.

Hamas’s systematic use of human shields represents more than just a tactical military decision – it reflects a fundamental disregard for the most basic principles of international humanitarian law and human dignity. This practice not only endangers the hostages themselves but also undermines the entire framework of legal protections designed to limit the brutality of armed conflict.