A Malvern peace protester who saw her friend fatally wounded by an Israeli soldier said she was amazed that the man responsible has been convicted.

Alice Coy watched as photography student Tom Hurndall was shot in the head during a protest in the Gaza Strip in April, 2003, as he guided children to safety from nearby gunfire.

Former Israeli soldier Wahid Taysir was found guilty of Mr Hurndall's manslaughter by a military court on Monday.

"I think this is amazing," said Ms Coy, a former pupil at Dyson Perrins and Malvern Girls' College. "It's right that if someone kills an unarmed civilian there should be a prosecution. That's what would happen in Britain, but this is a one-off."

Ms Coy, aged 29, said the Hurndall family had been incredible in their determination to get justice for their dead son.

"They kept pushing it and didn't take no for an answer," she said.

Ms Coy, who was detained by the Israeli authorities and deported shortly after Mr Hurndall's shooting, said the prosecution of his killer had highlighted the situation within the Israeli army.

"Soldiers were just shooting at unarmed civilians and not being brought to account," she said.

"Hopefully, this is the first of many prosecutions and will show soldiers they can't get away with it."

Ms Coy said prosecutions should be brought for shootings of all civilians, not just British people.

"Thousands of unarmed civilians are killed during war," she said. "They suffer the most during wartime."

Ms Coy, who also saw friend and fellow protester Rachel Corrie crushed by an Israeli tank, is currently training to be a nurse in Glasgow and plans to use her skills in war-torn countries.

"I want to get qualified and get back out there," she said. "There are so many injured people that need help, especially women and children who get shot."

Ms Coy will also be providing medical treatment at the G8 Summit protest in Edinburgh tomorrow (Saturday).