Israel investigates war on Gaza ahead of NGO war crimes probe

The Israeli army is planning to carry out investigations into two incidents during the Israeli war on Gaza; Israeli radio reported sources saying yesterday.

Israeli military sources said that the performance of the Givati Unit in Rafah and the regulations when soldiers are kidnapped would be the prominent topics for the investigation.

Both are in relation to the massacre carried out in Rafah in August 1, when around 190 Palestinians were killed and more than 350 were wounded. This after Israel broke a three-day truce which had started hours earlier.

Israeli sources said that the Palestinian fighters kidnapped the body of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, a Givati officer, after they killed him. The incident prompted heavy Israeli fire that resulted in the large number of casualties.

According to the military sources: “The concentration on these two topics is necessary in order to face possible allegations from the UN and other human rights organisations regarding committing war crimes during the operation in Gaza.”

The UN Human Rights Council decided in August 17 to commission investigations into allegations of Israeli war crimes could have taken place against the Palestinians during the war.

The Israeli radio noted that “investigations into the proceedings of the operation started a short time after the start of the operation.” Adding: “The investigation includes tens of incidents, situations and materials in order to get the lessons from the operation.”

Major General Noam Tibon, the commander of the army’s Northern Corps, is heading the investigations.