An Israeli soldier has alleged that he was ordered to use Palestinian civilians as human shields in Gaza, amid ongoing regional tensions and the recovery of 14 bodies, including medics and civil defense members, in southern Gaza. The bodies were retrieved after a week of restricted access to Rafah, following evacuation orders from the Israeli military that suggest a potential ground operation. As the conflict persists, international humanitarian organizations express concern over the safety of Gaza's civilian population, especially with one medic still unaccounted for.