Israeli army blames mix-up for fatal shooting of Palestinian toddler

An Israeli soldier who shot dead a Palestinian toddler in a car two weeks ago thought he was firing at gunmen, the army said on Wednesday, blaming a mix-up caused by another soldier discharging his rifle in the air in violation of regulations.

Three-year-old Mohammad al-Tamimi suffered a fatal head wound in the June 1 shooting near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. His father was hit in the shoulder. The Palestinian foreign ministry demanded accountability, deeming the incident a crime.

Publishing the results of its investigation, the Israeli military repeated previous assertions that Palestinian gunmen had fired at soldiers guarding a Jewish settlement that night.

An army officer searching the area saw a “suspicious vehicle and fired several times into the air,” prompting a soldier who heard those shots to open fire on the Tamimis’ car, believing the gunmen were using it for their getaway.

The investigation faulted commanders for miscommunication and “incorrect decision-making,” the statement said, adding that the officer who fired in the air would be reprimanded for violating standing orders.

The West Bank, among territories where Palestinians seek statehood, has experienced a surge of violence over the last 15 months.

A report by Israeli rights group Yesh Din based on military data from 2017 to 2021 found that Israeli soldiers were prosecuted in less than 1 percent of hundreds of complaints filed against them on alleged offences against Palestinians.