Israel detains 548 Palestinians without trial: rights group

A total of 548 Palestinians are detained without trial in Israel, including 42 who have been held for over two years, the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said on Thursday. Among the Palestinians detained without trail, two have been held for four and a half years, B'Tselem said in its annual report. Six of those detained without trial in December were minors, including two girls, the report said. It said a total of 7,904 Palestinians were in Israeli custody at the end of December. The report also said that by December 26 Israeli security forces last year killed 455 Palestinians, including 87 minors. It said at least 175 of those killed did not take part in the hostilities. Eighteen Israeli civilians and 10 Israeli troops were killed by Palestinians in the same period, the report said. The figures do not include casualties from the 22-day military offensive Israel launched in Gaza on December 27, which left more than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.