Israeli army claims it will now investigate killing of civilians, but not in Gaza

Ma'an – A statement from Israel's military said Wednesday that a new protocol had been put in place, that would see all Palestinian civilian deaths perpetrated by Israeli forces investigated.

Earlier protocol required a preliminary investigation by field staff, which would be handed over to a higher body when ground staff determined necessary.

In a 2008 position paper, Israeli rights group B'Tselem noted that Israel had "increasingly avoided accountability" for rights violations in part though its "policy not to open criminal investigations in cases of killing or wounding of Palestinians who were not taking part in the hostilities, except in exceptional cases, and in its enactment of legislation denying, almost completely, the right of Palestinians who were harmed as a result of illegal acts by Israeli security forces to sue for compensation for the damages they suffered."

While the organization Thursday welcomed the change in policy, but warned that investigations must be carried out consistently and transparently, and not be "contingent on the security situation."

The new regulations only apply to incidents when non-combatants are killed or injured in the West Bank, and not in the Gaza Strip.