The Israeli Military Court filed charges against an Israeli soldier of the Givati Brigade after he was convicted of direct involvement in the killing of two Palestinian women during the Israeli Cast Lead offensive against the Gaza Strip.The soldier is being charged of involuntarily manslaughter, while a criminal investigation in three similar cases was initiated.
Despite the fact that the soldier shot and killed Palestinian civilians who left their homes after being ordered to do so by the Israel army, he is not facing murder charges.
The two women, Rayya Abu Hajjaj, 64, and her daughter, Majida, 35, were killed by soldier “S” in a crowded civilian area in Gaza.
The woman and her daughter were among nearly 30 civilians who were forced out of their homes under direct orders of the military.
The army claimed that the soldiers opened fire at a wall in an attempt to force the Palestinians away from some military vehicles, and that “for an unknown reason”, the soldier “S” opened fire directly at the unarmed civilians.
The Military Prosecution said that killing in this case carried criminal intent, and that this is sufficient to file “involuntary manslaughter” while the defense attorney claimed that the case here is a “misunderstanding of military orders”.
Israel embarked its three-week war on Gaza on December 27, 2008.
1419 Palestinians were killed and thousands were wounded. Most of the casualties were civilians, including infants, children, women and elderly, in addition to medics, civil defense personnel and reporters. Dozens of Palestinians died of their wounds after Israel ended its attack.
The army bombarded homes, infrastructure, educational facilities, UNRWA facilities, mosques, and medical center.
