Israeli soldiers say reckless force used in Gaza

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 Wednesday. One of the soldiers said the army needlessly used powerful weapons such as mortars and white phosphorous, an illuminating agent that can cause severe burns, in the three-week offensive last winter. The allegations were the strongest evidence to come from Israeli war veterans that the army used excessive force during the war, and echoed claims by Palestinian witnesses and international human rights groups.