Israeli soldiers have been accused of a possible war crime after an eight-year-old boy was shot dead as he tried to flee. The child, known as Adam, was hit in the back of the head. His friend Basil, 15, was also shot and died from chest wounds.
BBC analysis of phone and CCTV footage prompted UN special rapporteur on human rights Ben Saul to say that Adam’s death appears to be a war crime. Israel said the deaths were under review but “live fire was used only to remove immediate threats after exhausting other options”. It claims the boys had been about to hurl explosives at their forces, putting them in immediate danger.
Video shows Basil next to a shuttered hardware store in Jenin in the occupied West Bank – a Palestinian territory not run by Hamas. Wit-nesses said gunfire had been ringing out from an Israeli operation in the nearby Jenin refugee camp.
Adam, a huge Lionel Messi fan, was with his brother Baha, 14, and about seven other boys.
CCTV provides a near-360-degree view of what happened. At least six armoured vehicles turn a corner and begin heading for the boys, who become uneasy. Several start to move away.
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The BBC says enhanced phone footage shows the front door of one vehicle opening. The soldier inside has a direct view of the boys. Basil can be seen darting into the middle of the road while Adam is 12m further from the soldiers, running away. At least 11 shots can be heard ringing out. The BBC claims bullets hit a wide area.
Scene of destruction in southern Gaza Strip (AFP via Getty Images)Medical reports obtained by the corporation show that two shots hit Basil in the chest. Another struck Adam as he ran away. His brother tried to drag him to cover while screaming for an ambulance. He told the BBC: “I tried to speak to him. I started saying, ‘Adam, Adam!’ But his soul was leaving his body.”
Before being shot, Basil can be seen clutching an unknown object. The army issued a picture which it says shows an explosive device. Evidence from the scene was shared with a number of independent experts who agreed November’s incident should be investigated.
Some went further, saying it ap- peared international law was broken.
The UN’s Ben Saul accused the soldiers of “deliberately, indiscriminately or disproportionately attack- ing civilians, a war crime, and a violation of the human right to life”.
The findings are part of a new BBC documentary which has investigated the conduct of the Israeli security forces in the West Bank. The Other War is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
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