The Israeli military's top lawyer on Monday closed an investigation into alleged misconduct by soldiers who took part in Israel's recent three-week assault on the Gaza Strip, concluding that accusations made by graduates of a military preparatory school were "based on hearsay."

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said that Brig. Gen. Avichai Mendelblit, the IDF's advocate general, found no evidence to support the most serious accusations, including alleged instances in which civilians were shot without cause.

Israeli human rights groups including B'Tselem and Yesh Din said they still want a broad, independent investigation of the Gaza operation because they don't trust the Israeli military to police itself.

Maj. Yehoshua Gurtler, a military lawyer, told reporters that investigators had matched the allegations with actual incidents -- including one in which an elderly woman was shot. In that case and others, he said, soldiers had followed the rules of engagement set out for the Gaza operation and had acted in accordance with Israeli law...