AN expert at the United Nations (UN) has accused Israel of committing a possible war crime over the killing of a Palestinian child in the West Bank.
An investigation by the BBC found several potential serious human rights violations committed by Israel’s security forces in the West Bank, which has been under military occupation for more than half a century.
On November 29, two young boys – Basil, 15, and Adam, 8 – were killed by gunshots whilst they were out playing in the street.
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Whilst they were playing – alongside seven other children – the BBC found that a convoy of at least six armoured Israeli military vehicles turned a corner and began heading towards the boys.
Mobile phone footage showed the front door of an armoured vehicle being opened, before 11 gunshots were heard.
Medical reports obtained by the BBC show that two shots hit Basil in the chest, whilst another bullet struck Adam in the back of the head as he ran away, killing him.
The IDF have claimed that Basil was holding an explosive device which threatened the safety of its forces.
“The troops responded with fire and hits were identified,” it confirmed.
But according to video evidence and witness testimony examined by the BBC, Adam did not appear to be armed and had been running away when he was shot in the back of the head.
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Ben Saul, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism said the death of Adam appears to be a “war crime”.
“For Adam, this appears to be a violation of the International Humanitarian Law prohibitions on deliberately, indiscriminately or disproportionately attacking civilians, a war crime, and a violation of the human right to life,” Saul said.
The IDF said the circumstances of Basil and Adam’s deaths are “under review”, which it does routinely for every death of a child in the West Bank due to IDF activity.
However, questions have been raised over whether any action will be taken, as data from the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din suggests that fewer than 1% of all complaints against Israeli soldiers result in prosecutions.
Since the escalation of conflict on October 7 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1200 people and taking 250 hostage, more than 34,000 Palestinians are believed to have been killed.
Israel's military offensive has wreaked vast destruction and brought about a humanitarian disaster, with several hundred thousand Palestinians in northern Gaza facing imminent famine, according to the UN.
More than 80% of the population has been driven from their homes, with the vast majority of the Gazan population now sheltering in Rafah, the southern-most city in Gaza.
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