The incident was the leading case reported in the Human Rights Watch's "White Flag Deaths" report.[9][10] HRW states that all available evidence indicates that Israeli forces were in control of the area in question, no fighting was taking place there at the time, and no Palestinian forces were hiding among the civilians or using them as human shields.[11] Neighborhood residents who spoke to HRW said that major fighting in the area had stopped by the morning of January 7, although sporadic exchanges of fire may have continued after that.