A photograph has surfaced on social media showing two elderly Palestinians —Nadi Marouf and Ali Marouf—from the Beit Lahia area of besieged northern Gaza, blindfolded just hours before they were brutally killed by the Israeli army. Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi released the image on X.
This leaked photo has reignited allegations regarding the abuse of Palestinian civilians during military operations. The elderly men were clad only in their undergarments, and one had his hands tied behind his back; they were reportedly forced to enter buildings ahead of Israeli soldiers.
Tirawi stated that the two men were killed after being used as human bait or shields. Israeli soldiers had abducted the two elderly Palestinians from Beit Lahia and utilized them as human shields for an extended period before killing them.
Earlier, in October 2025, Tirawi had reported that soldiers from the 92nd Battalion of the Israeli army’s Kfir Brigade abducted the two Palestinians from Beit Lahia and held them captive as human shields for several days. They were detained for a period before being released near the Al-Tawam roundabout, only to be subsequently shot and brutally killed. Their relatives discovered their bodies three days after they had been used as human shields.
Israeli soldiers would forcibly send Palestinian civilians into homes and tunnels to check for explosives or the presence of fighters. A UN investigation report stated that forcing Palestinian civilians to enter homes ahead of soldiers constitutes the use of human shields and is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. These allegations of inhumane treatment regarding civilians, detainees, and the bodies of the deceased have intensified international scrutiny and pressure concerning Israel’s operations in Gaza.
