Rights group: Israeli ‘warning shot’ killed Gaza teens

JERUSALEM – An Israeli human rights group is questioning Israel’s policy of firing warning shots at buildings before they are destroyed in airstrikes after it found that two teens were killed in a July strike.

Israel has defended its “knock on the roof” policy as a way of preventing casualties. But B’Tselem said in a report Wednesday that two Palestinian teens died in a “warning strike” as they sat on a rooftop on July 14.

The Israeli military says it uses low-explosive munitions to warn civilians of impending larger strikes, allowing people to flee and reduce casualties. B’Tselem questioned the practice’s efficacy at protecting civilians.

The military said it was unaware of anyone on the roof at the time of the attack, but that the military’s advocate general is reviewing the incident.