Israel Defense Forces investigators say initial findings show that 22-year-old Gazan nurse Razan Ashraf Najjar was not deliberately targeted but rather was inadvertently hit by gunfire during violence at the Gaza-Israel border last week.
The IDF confirmed that soldiers were indeed firing — but not at the terror-supporting volunteer nurse as she was tending to injured Gazans who were attempting to damage the security fence east of Khan Younis.
“During an initial examination of the incident that took place on June 1st, 2018, in which a 22-year-old Palestinian woman was killed, it was found that a small number of bullets were fired during the incident, and that no shots were deliberately or directly aimed towards her,” the IDF Spokesperson said in a statement.
“The examination is ongoing. In addition, the incident will be examined by the General Staff Fact Finding Assessment Mechanism, and the findings passed to the Military Advocate General,” for a separate determination on whether criminal proceedings should be initiated, he added.
The IDF uses live fire in response to a direct threat to life and/or the security infrastructure at the border, under its rules of engagement. IDF soldiers were tasked with defending the border and protecting the Israeli citizens living nearby.