Israeli defence minister orders inquiry into killings of Palestinians by army

ISRAEL’S defence minister has ordered a speedy investigation into recent killings of Palestinians, including at least eight civilians, by army fire, his office said yesterday.

The minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, appointed a general to head the inquiry. He asked the army chief, Lt Gen Moshe Yaalon, to present by Friday "operative findings to prevent such unfortunate mishaps in the future."

In radio interviews, Ben-Eliezer again apologised for the killings of civilians, among them a six-year-old girl, a 10-year-old boy and two teenagers.