Israeli military police open formal investigation into killing of Abu Thurayya

Israel’s Military Police Investigations Division (MPID) has opened an investigation into the 15 December killing of Palestinian protester Ibrahim Abu Thurayya, Haaretz reported Thursday.

The decision to open an investigation, says the paper, is “due to the significant disparity in the findings of an army inquiry into the incident and those of Palestinian groups inside the Gaza Strip”.

Abu Thurayya was shot dead while protesting near the Gaza Strip perimeter fence, in the context of demonstrations following US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

An initial Israeli military inquiry found no wrongdoing on the part of the Israeli soldiers at the scene, and even cast doubt as to whether Abu Thurayya had been killed by Israeli forces at all.

Medical records, including a hospital report and death certificate, say Abu Thurayya was hit by a bullet above his left eye, the same findings detailed in a report by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service.

Read: Israel army exonerates itself over killing of Palestinian wheelchair-user

According to Haaretz, “the army has asked the Red Cross to relay the Palestinian autopsy report and to ascertain whether a Palestinian who testified that he had seen the shooting would agree to provide a testimony at the Erez border crossing with Israel”.

Ynet noted that it is only “in light of the official information received from Gaza” that the Israeli military “has decided to launch an investigation”.