Israel closes investigation into killing of dozens of Palestinians in Gaza

Israel’s military police have been ordered by the Chief Military Advocate General, Major-General Danny Efroni, to close the investigation into a raid during last summer’s offensive against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Thirty-one members of the Al-Salk family were killed during the raid.

At the same time, Efroni ordered the opening of another investigation into an Israeli raid that targeted a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); 20 Palestinians were killed in that raid. The UNRWA school in question was attacked on 30 July and is located in Jabaliya. Those who were killed had sought refuge in the UN building after they were told by the Israeli army that their homes were going to be bombed.

Meanwhile, Israel has announced that it will cooperate with the UN to investigate the targeting of UN institutions by the Israel Defence Forces. The government has refused, however, to cooperate with a UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry into possible war crimes committed by its troops.