<p>Glacial debris flows are common hazards in high-mountain glaciated regions. Ongoing climate warming is accelerating glacier retreat and intensifying extreme precipitation. Consequently, the frequency and magnitude of these events have increased. Understanding their initiation process is therefore critical. Unlike typical debris flows, the source materials of glacial debris flows commonly contain buried ice. This component could significantly influence the initiation process, yet its role remains poorly understood. To address this, we conducted a series of flume experiments isolating the effects of buried ice on glacier debris-flow initiation. Multiple runs were performed on identical deposit setups: an ice-free control and three ice-bearing cases with predefined melt proportions (0%, 50%, and 100%). The results demonstrate that buried ice presence and ablation facilitate debris-flow initiation through two key mechanisms: (i) increasing water content and pore-water pressure within the slope and (ii) inducing internal fissures and cavities that weaken the soil structure. These processes accelerate slope failure, enhance erosion, and amplify the total erosion volume. Difference-of-DEM (DoD) analysis reveals that erosion volumes under buried ice conditions exceed those of ice-free scenarios by more than twofold. These findings advance our understanding of thermo-hydrological controls on glacial debris-flow initiation, providing a physical basis for improved hazard assessment and early-warning systems in southeastern Tibet.</p>