Israel trial over slain Gaza girl

Heavily armed Israeli outposts line Gaza's border with Egypt

An Israeli military court has charged an army officer with illegally using his weapon when he allegedly shot a Palestinian girl who was already dead.

The schoolgirl, Iman al-Hams, was killed in Gaza by Israeli soldiers who suspected she was carrying explosives.

Witnesses said the officer emptied the magazine of his weapon into the girl as she lay dead on the ground.

The officer - who has not been named - was also charged with inappropriate behaviour and obstruction of justice.

The charges follow a military police investigation into the incident on 5 October when 13-year-old Iman was killed after soldiers said she strayed close to an Israeli army outpost in the town of Rafah on Gaza's border with Egypt.

An earlier internal investigation by the army cleared the officer of any wrongdoing.

Close range

According to the indictment, Iman al-Hams was injured in the initial burst of fire from the army outpost.

Palestinian doctors said Iman al-Hams was hit by about 20 bullets

The officer and another soldier then approached the wounded girl, but the officer allegedly went on ahead and on reaching her "pointed his weapon, an M16, down and shot her - two shots at very close range".

After moving away from the girl's body, the indictment says, "he turned around and returned to the place where the girl was lying... he aimed his weapon and fired, in automatic mode, about 10 bullets until he emptied his magazine."

The soldiers in the platoon told Israeli newspapers that the officer was "confirming a kill", military slang for firing into the bodies of combatants to ensure they are dead and present no further danger.

The practice goes against Israeli military regulations governing the rules of engagement in the occupied territories. The officer denies all the charges.

School trip

Army chief Moshe Yaalon said the troops had believed the girl was sent by Palestinian militants to lead them away from the outpost so they could be attacked by snipers.

The girl's family said she was on her way to school when she was shot. Her bag contained only school books.

Hundreds of Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli troops during the Palestinian uprising or intifada.

It is unusual for the army to launch an investigation into the circumstances of Palestinian deaths.

Israel's armed forces have occupied the Gaza Strip since 1967. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants to pull troops and settlers out of the territory while retaining full control of its borders, coastline and airspace.