IDF soldier convicted of illegally firing at rioter on Gaza border
An IDF soldier was convicted earlier this week of illegally shooting at and killing a Gazan rioter during the weekly violent riots on the border with Israel.
Rioting at the border
This is the only case in which an IDF soldier was investigated and convicted of misconduct during the year and a half of riots on the border, during which hundreds of Gazans were killed by IDF fire, mostly terrorists by Hamas’ own admission.
The IDF stated that the soldier was convicted in accordance with his confession and under a plea bargain for exceeding his authority to the point of causing a risk to life or health.
The verdict shows that on July 13, 2018, during a violent riot, the soldier fired at a rioter who was scaling the border fence.
The soldier fired at the rioter “without receiving authorization as required by his commanders” and did not act in accordance with the instructions for engagement or with the instructions he was given earlier in the day, the IDF said.
A military court upheld the plea bargain and sentenced the soldier to 30 days of military service, the military equivalence of community service, a suspended sentence and a demotion to the rank of Private.
