An IDF soldier who killed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy in the Gaza Strip was recently sentenced to 49 days in jail by his commander, after it was determined that he had violated the army's open-fire orders.

On February 3, the soldier, from the Givati Brigade, fired at Issa Ibrahim El-Amub using a sniper's rifle, while the boy was passing a Palestinian school near the settlement of Kfar Darom. The boy, who at no point endangered soldiers or Israeli citizens, was hit in the stomach and later died of his wounds.

During five months of Israeli-Palestinian clashes, in which almost 400 Palestinians have been killed, some five soldiers have been investigated regarding the illegal use of weapons. In a few cases the soldiers were jailed for
short periods after hearings conducted by their commanders. So far, no soldier has faced criminal charges (in a military court) for involvement in an illegal shooting incident.

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