The Israeli army has begun investigating the death of a 13-year-old Palestinian girl said to have been shot dead by soldiers then riddled with bullets by their commander.
On television and in newspapers soldiers claimed that the officer shot her in the head and emptied a magazine of bullets into her body.
Iman el Hamas was walking to school last week when she strayed near an Israeli army post in Rafah. Soldiers opened fire and killed her.
The company commander then approached the body and fired two bullets at her head before switching his gun to automatic, the soldiers alleged. Doctors found more than 20 bullets in her body.
The soldiers were so disgusted by the slow pace of an army investigation that they approached the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth to demand the officer’s dismissal.
One told the paper: ”The company CO who sprayed the girl with bullets turned us all into vicious animals and besmirched us all.
”As far as we are concerned, it is either him or us. If he is not dismissed, we will not agree to serve under him.
”It is a disgrace that he is still in his position. We want him to be kicked out in a legal fashion.”
The soldiers said the officer shot the girl even though he was told by members of his unit not to.
One said: ”We spotted her at a distance of 70 metres. Shots were fired at her from the positions of the outpost, she ran away and was hit. I realised she was dead.
”The company CO approached her, shot two bullets into her, walked back towards the force, turned back to her, switched his weapon to automatic and emptied his entire magazine into her.
”He pumped her full of holes. We were in shock, we grabbed our heads. We couldn’t believe what he was doing. Our hearts ached for her.”
At first the army said the soldiers had suspected that the girl was carrying a bomb. Later it said the girl was being used by gunmen to lure them from their post.
On Monday an army source said an investigation had begun, but it was ”too early to speak of criminal charges”.
The girl’s family insist that she was going to school and carrying only her schoolbooks. ”We demand the prosecution of Iman’s killer, [but] we do not trust the Israeli judicial system,” her elder brother, Ehab, said.
”We know that this area where the outpost was located is off limits, but no one can control kids all the time. Iman got up and had breakfast with five of her nine brothers, and took leave of her parents as she does every day on the way to school.
”Even if someone used the child, and I am certain it did not happen, she presented no danger to anyone,” he said.
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, survived two no-confidence votes in Parliament on Monday after he vowed to continue with his plan to withdraw settlers and troops from some occupied territory. – Guardian Unlimited Â