RIGHTS groups slammed an Israeli military pledge today to launch investigations into some of its own crimes, warning that the army could not possibly be seen as an independent investigator.

Military Advocate General Major General Danny Efroni announced eight criminal probes into what the army terms "exceptional incidents" during its 50-day war on Gaza this summer, which killed more than 2,200 Palestinians.

The most prominent case concerns a July 20 air strike that killed 24 members of a single family, the Abu Jameas, including 18 children of nine or younger.

Mr Efroni said there was "reasonable suspicion" that the strike violated army rules.

Other atrocities to be investigated include the killing of two ambulance drivers and that of a Gaza man who was waving a white flag when he was mown down.

Human Rights Watch's Bill van Esveld, while welcoming the existence of probes, warned that "the poor track record of past investigations and the lack of accountability don't give much hope that the same process will yield a just outcome this time."

And Sarit Michaeli of Israeli rights group B'Tselem said the huge civilian death toll among Palestinians had been caused by policies "made by high-ranking military commanders and by the political echelon."

Investigating supposedly rogue incidents "cannot deal with the issue," she said.

Together with fellow rights organisation Yesh Din, B'Tselem has called for an independent investigation, deriding the military's law-enforcement efforts as "a complete failure."