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Gaza children left by mothers' corpses for four days
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Palestinians pray over the bodies of 42 people who were killed yesterday in an Israeli attack on a UN-run school building, on January 7
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Charity workers today accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately blocking attempts to reach four small children trapped next to their mothers' bodies in a Gaza home.
The Red Cross head of delegation for the region described the incident where the children were left for four days as "shocking."
"The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded," Pierre Wettach said. "Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestine Red Crescent to assist the wounded."
Rescuers eventually received permission to go to the site yesterday, four days after it was hit by Israeli shells.
They found 15 dead and 18 wounded in three houses, including the children who were too weak to stand.
The ICRC said requests to be allowed to reach other destroyed houses in this neighbourhood, reportedly containing more wounded, were refused by the Israeli army.
"The ICRC believes that in this instance the Israeli military failed to meet its obligation under international humanitarian law to care for and evacuate the wounded," the Geneva-based group said in a statement.
"It considers the delay in allowing rescue services access unacceptable."
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Has Israel forgotten????? Unbelievable war crimes committed on those whose ancestors suffered 60+ years back. This was a deliberate attempt to wipe out a community. Animals have more compassion than this. Israel, God is watching you and what you have done.
ff
Posted by ff | 21.01.09, 03:35 GMT
If the Israelis thought that the charity workers were in any way potentially in the line of fire (as Hamas has no qualms in shooting indiscriminantly), then they were obligated to protect these charity workers. If the workers would have been killed, the Israelis would have been blamed anyway by the moral relativists, it's damned if you do and damned if you don't for them.
Perhaps they should have done what the Russians did to Grozny, no one seemed to complain about them launching ballistic missiles at the crowded markets and a maternity ward, killing more than 140 people in one hit and killing thousands overall whilst turning Grozny to rubble.
Posted by James H | 09.01.09, 02:50 GMT
A blind man can tell that the doings of Israel are that of the worst beast in man. They are equal to the Nazi's without a shadow of doubt! Crushing the skull and tiny frame of a five month old baby under an Jewish Israeli armored vehicle driven by the Israeli Offence Force - come on...who in their right mind can defend such a thing. Bombing UN bases, singling out and murdering journalists who report the truth, rocketing Red Cross ambulances, starving a population of food, clothing and water supplies. The list of beastliness and acts of inhumane depravity goes on and on. There can be no excuse - not the fact that nine Israelis have died as a result of Hamas rockets and not even the Holocaust. Shame on them who should have learned from their relatives who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. Shame.
Posted by DW | 08.01.09, 20:51 GMT
Youngsters in Gaza
Four very young ones
too weak to stand
clenching
by the bodies of their mothers
waiting
under a lonely roof in Gaza
surely they will awake.
Not a glimmer of hope
but a normal thought
Four very young ones
too dry to cry
too hungry to pull
on the bodies
of their silent mothers
Four very young ones
purchased a nightmare for life
a memory of their dead mothers
Maybe one day
they can play
or learn to draw a flower.
Why does Israel constantly commit war crimes and get away with it? Why does Europe keep tolerating this. The guilt over centuries of haterd towards Jews does not undermine humanitarian (if not political) support for Palestinians.
Posted by farzad Babadi | 08.01.09, 13:58 GMT
yet another example of the barbarity of Israel.
No group or country in the region is resposible for more civilian deaths.
israel is a terrorist state - the only difference being it has the EU and US on its side.
Just like the rogue apartheid state in South Africa was boycotted. So all moral people should urge a boycott of isralei goods until such times as the country respects the human rights of others.
Posted by ger | 08.01.09, 11:55 GMT