Israeli Army Orders Criminal Inquiry Into Deaths of Two Palestinians on Gaza Border
by Reuters and Algemeiner Staff
Israel‘s military said on Tuesday it would launch a criminal investigation into two incidents in which its troops shot dead Palestinian teenagers taking part in riots along the border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
The inquiry into the deaths of Abed Nabi, 18, on March 30, and 15-year-old Othman Helles on July 13 was the first announced by the military into its use of lethal force in the border unrest that began five months ago.
A statement from the Israeli military said its initial investigations into the two occurrences raised “a suspicion that the shooting in these incidents was not in accordance with standard operating procedures.”
Since March 30, there have been numerous attempts by Palestinians to breach Israel‘s security fence along the frontier with Gaza. Also, one Israeli soldier has been killed and another wounded by Palestinian sniper fire.
Israel has accused Hamas, regarded by the West as a terrorist group, of using the riots as cover for launching attacks.