IDF to Investigate Shooting Deaths of Two Arab Rioters

The IDF announced Tuesday that it will investigate two incidents in which IDF soldiers shot and killed Gaza Arabs who were rioting along the border fence in recent months. According to the IDF spokesperson, the investigations were to determine if the soldiers did not violate rules on the appropriateness of opening fire.

The incidents involved the deaths of two Gaza Arabs – Abd al-Nabi, who was killed in a riot incident on March 30, and Othman Halas, killed on July 13. Both were participating in Arab riots along the border fence. The first incident occurred as 30,000 Gaza Arabs rioted at the security fence. Eight rioters were killed that day by IDF fire, and hundreds more were injured. The second incident occurred during another border fence riot. Fifty rioters were injured in the incidents of that day.

In a statement, the IDF spokesperson said that the decision to open the investigations was made after “careful study” of the cases, based on information that was received about how the shootings took place. “We will investigate the issue and submit the findings to the IDF prosecutors’ office, which will then decide on a course of action,” the spokesperson said.