Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Israeli Army Charges 5 Troops with Gaza Looting; Stole Cash, Materials from Homes during Conflict

The Israeli army is planning to indict several of its soldiers who fought in Gaza last summer on charges of looting, the Haaretz (Israeli) website reports today (February 4, 2015).

The military police are investigating five incidents of suspected looting by Israeli troops during Operation Protective Edge. Four of the incidents took place in the southern Gaza towns of Khuza'a and in Khan Yunis, where Palestinians complained that Israeli soldiers had stolen their possessions when they fled their homes due to fighting.

The fifth case -- which took place in the Shujaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City and was reported while the military operation was still underway -- concluded with the arrest in August of a Golani Brigade combat soldier for stealing cash from a home.

Since looting is a crime under Israeli law that carries a sentence of up to 10 years' imprisonment, a hearing will be held before the indictments are handed down. The soldiers' defense attorneys recently received letters informing them of the Military Advocate General's intent to indict the soldiers and will be given a chance to defend them during the hearing.

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