British probe into Gaza killing

Police will help the coroner gather the facts around Mr Hurndall's death

British police are to investigate the death of a British member of a campaign group who died after being shot by an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip.

Westminster Coroner Paul Knapman ordered further inquiries into Tom Hurndall's death. He died on Tuesday after being in a coma since April.

The north Londoner was in Gaza with the International Solidarity Movement.

An Israeli soldier has been charged, but the 22-year-old's family wants all involved in his death to stand trial.

Police visit

Mr Hurndall was observing the Israeli army in Gaza with the ISM - a Palestinian-led group which campaigns against Israeli occupation using non-violence - when he was shot in the head.

An Israeli soldier has been indicted on six charges, including one of aggravated assault, but Mr Hurndall's family have been calling for a murder charge to be brought.

His mother Jocelyn Hurndall told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the family was "pleased and impressed" that the coroner had "seen fit to instigate an inquiry into the shooting of Tom".

She said Metropolitan Police investigators would visit their home in north London on Friday to collect and scrutinise evidence the family had gathered over the past few months.

The soldier initially said he had returned fire at a man armed with a pistol - but under interrogation admitted firing a shot near an unarmed civilian, according to the Israeli army.

'Conspiracy'

The Israeli Embassy in London said charges had been brought against the soldier after a "full and independent investigation".

But Mrs Hurndall said it was "difficult" to trust the Israeli investigation.

"We will be pressing our own government to make the strongest representations to ensure that this soldier and other soldiers involved in the killing, or the conspiracy to cover up the evidence, stand trial, all the way up the chain of command," she told Today.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the investigation will be conducted by the Specialist Crime Directorate (West) under the command of Detective Inspector Trevor Albutt.

This week the Israeli Embassy said it was "deeply sorry" to learn of the death of Mr Hurndall, a former photography student at Manchester Metropolitan University, and said it's government was fully co-operating with the British Government.

British cameraman James Miller was shot dead in the same area on 2 May, also by Israeli soldiers.

In March, an Israeli bulldozer crushed US activist Rachel Corrie to death in Rafah as she tried to protest against the demolition of a house.