Israeli military prosecutors indicted two Israeli soldiers Thursday for allegedly ordering a Palestinian child to open bags suspected of containing explosives, during Israel's Gaza Strip offensive last year, a military statement said.

The statement said that while searching a building in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood, the two soldiers ordered the child to open bags thought to be booby-traps.

The investigation into the two soldiers, who both hold the rank of staff-sergeant, was launched based on information received from a special UN representative appointed to investigate matters involving children and armed conflict, and following complaint filed by the Israeli branch of Defence for Children International, the statement added.