Peace activist Rachel Corrie. Credit:AP Ms Corrie was in southern Gaza with pro-Palestinian group International Solidarity Movement, working on non-violent protests that involved acting as a human shield to prevent the Israeli Defence Force from bulldozing Palestinian homes. She was wearing a bright orange vest and standing on a mound of dirt in front of a house that was to be demolished in the Rafah refugee camp. Ms Corrie's family and witnesses to her death say the driver of the armed Caterpillar D9 bulldozer would have clearly seen her as he drove towards her, crushing her, then reversing over her body. The driver said he did not see her and the Defence Force's own investigation ruled her death an accident. The judge ruled that Ms Corrie's death was an accident and the government was not responsible for combat activities in the closed military zone.

Rachel Corrie's family wait for the verdict in the Haifa District Court. Credit:Ruth Pollard He ruled that there was no fault in the military investiation or the Israel Defence Force's findings that it was not responsible for Ms Corrie's death. Ms Corrie could have saved herself, the judge ruled, and there was no negligence from the IDF. The trial has been running since March 10, 2010, and since then there have been 15 hearings and witness testimony from 23 people. It has exposed serious chain-of-command failures in relation to civilian killings and indiscriminate destruction of civilian property at the hands of the Israeli military in southern Gaza, a statement from the family reads.

In 2003, amid the second Palestinian intifada, when suicide bombers from the Palestinian territories were killing hundreds in Israel, the Defence Force had an overwhelming presence in Gaza, with tanks, helicopters, fighter jets and soldiers part of daily life for millions of citizens living on the tiny coastal strip. Ms Corrie's emails home, released by her parents, describe terrifying scenes of violence and destruction. On February 27, 2003, just 17 days before she was killed, she wrote to her mother: "I am really scared for the people here. Yesterday, I watched a father lead his two tiny children, holding his hands, out into the sight of tanks and a sniper tower and bulldozers and jeeps because he thought his house was going to be exploded." She described the Israeli army's destruction of 602 homes, the Defence Force said it was targeting suspected militants, and said what she was witnessing was "genocide". "No amount of reading, attendance at conferences, documentary viewing and word of mouth could have prepared me for the reality of the situation here. You just can't imagine it unless you see it," she wrote on February 7, 2003.

The judge concluded by saying that the family of Ms Corrie would not be charged court costs. Speaking before the judge handed down his findings, the family's Israeli laywer, Hussein Abu Hussein, said: "The trial is an attempt to hold accountable not only those who failed to protect Rachel's life but also the flawed system of military investigations which is neither impartial nor thorough." Outside the court, he said: "Rachel was killed taking non-violent action ... The IDF failed to protect her." The actions of the military ignored its responsibility to protect non-combatants, including human rights activists. "While not surprising, this verdict is yet another example of where impunity has prevailed over accountability and fairness. Rachel Corrie was killed while non-violently protesting home demolitions and injustice in Gaza, and today, this court has given its stamp of approval to flawed and illegal practices that failed to protect civilian life. In this regard, the verdict blames the victim based on distorted facts and it could have been written directly by the state attorneys.

"We knew from the beginning that we had an uphill battle to get truthful answers and justice, but we are convinced that this verdict distorts the strong evidence presented in court, and contradicts fundamental principles of international law with regard to protection of human rights defenders. In denying justice in Rachel Corrie’s killing, this verdict speaks to the systemic failure to hold the Israeli military accountable for continuing violations of basic human rights. "We would like to thank everyone who supported the family and the legal team; including activists, NGOs, legal observers, US embassy officials, interpreters, reporters who covered the trial, and we look forward to talking to you at the press conference."