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Outrage as Israel bombs UN HQ, hospital, school and media building
Friday, 16 January 2009
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Israeli tanks thrust deep inside Gaza City last night as ferocious fighting raged in dense residential areas with terrified families fleeing along streets echoing with gunfire, although many others were trapped in their homes.
Israeli shelling set fire to the UN headquarters, a hospital, a school and a building used by the media, leading to widespread international protests and renewed calls for a ceasefire in the conflict which has so far cost 1,073 Palestinian and 13 Israeli lives. A senior Hamas leader, the Interior Minister Said Seyyam who was responsible for thousands of security agents, was killed in an Israeli raid which flattened his brother's home.
Three members of UN staff were injured when three Israeli shells hit the headquarters, setting it on fire. Thousands of tonnes of desperately needed food and humanitarian supplies were destroyed and about 700 refugees given shelter in the building had to be evacuated. UN officials said the shells were white phosphorus, believed to have been responsible for burns suffered by some Palestinian civilians.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, on a peace mission to the region, said: "I conveyed my strong protest and outrage to the Defence Minister and Foreign Minister and demanded a full explanation."
The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, apologised for the shelling but claimed Hamas fighters had opened fire from the centre. "It is absolutely true that we were attacked from that place, but the consequences are very sad and we apologise for it," he said. "I don't think it should have happened and I'm very sorry."
John Ging, the director of operations for the UN relief agency, UNRWA, in Gaza described the Israeli claim about a Hamas presence as "nonsense". He added: "It's a total disaster for us." Mr Ging said the UN had warned the Israelis the compound was in danger from shelling that had begun overnight, and provided them with GPS co-ordinates to prevent an attack.
The Al-Quds hospital was also hit by shellfire when Israeli tanks moved further into the city. A tower housing the Reuters agency and other media outlets was also hit. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the damage caused to the Al Quds hospital is "completely and utterly unacceptable based on every known standard of international humanitarian law".
The hospital is in the Tal Hawa district, a packed residential area. Streams of people fled from the fighting, carrying what belongings they could on foot, by car, and, in some cases wheelbarrows after homes were demolished and set ablaze. Mahmud Tejan Hussein drove away with seven members of his family. "Bullets started hitting our house and I decided that we must get away from here. There are Israeli tanks in the area now and we might get blocked off if we wait. But I do not know where we are going to go. We wanted to go to the UN office, but that has been attacked. Wherever we go, the fighting will follow us."
Musah Mohammed, 36, who stayed at his home in an apartment block, said: "We cannot go out. There is shooting in the street. My mother is ill and she is old; we cannot leave her here. People are shouting to each other from balconies crying that they need help. We have no electricity and very little food and water. We are very afraid; we do not know what will happen next." It was unclear whether the escalation was a final push before a ceasefire, as peace talks continued yesterday in Cairo where Israel's chief negotiator Amos Gilad arrived to hear the Hamas response to an Egyptian initiative.
Mark Regev, the spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister, said a "momentum" was building up on the talks. "Ultimately, we want to see a long-term sustainable quiet in the south, a quiet that's going to be based on the total absence of all hostile fire from Gaza into Israel, and an internationally supported mechanism that will prevent Hamas from rearming," he said.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Mr Olmert by phone that Washington would sign an agreement on measures to stop Hamas from rearming after a ceasefire. The Egyptian proposals call for an immediate ceasefire, resumption of humanitarian aid, an Israeli pullout and the reopening of the border between Israel and Gaza under international supervision.
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israel has forgotten the genocide they suffered under the natzi regime and now they seem to be inflicting the same pain on palestinians i belive a great nation should learn from history but in this case its not a graet nation we are talking about its israel
Posted by sonia | 16.01.09, 17:45 GMT
The so called IDF are a bunch of cowards and are only interested in bombing women and children from miles away or from the air. What a disgrace to humanity these israelis are.
Posted by Tom | 16.01.09, 14:28 GMT
1073 to 13 eh? That doesn't sound like the measured response of a responsible sovereign state. Someone really has to ask Israel what its desired objectives are.
Posted by Pol Pot | 16.01.09, 13:49 GMT
lets condemn all violence on both sides and an end to it
we need dialogue
lets see if the tellie publishes this message as my previous one wasnt (freedom of speech, yeah right!)
Posted by Anthony | 16.01.09, 12:41 GMT
Apart from the deplorable murder of Palestinians and the pathetic attempts by Israel to justify their war crimes. What I find to be particularly worrying about the Israeli actions is their longer term consequences. By ignoring UN resolutions, bombing UN safe havens and commiting war crimes while maintaining the backing of the US, Israel shows other countries that they need not respect any mandates from the UN.
The predecessor of the UN, the League of Nations was similarly shown to have no backbone when Mussolini invaded East Africa. When Hitler was on his first rampages through Eastern Europe he ignored The League of Nations as it had already been shown they would not act to back it up.
The UN should call for sanctions against Israel unless it complies with UN mandates, if the US blocks this they should be expelled. Otherwise the UN is just a monumental waste of international money that could be put to far better uses, like rebuilding Palestine, or what's left of it.
Posted by Bren | 16.01.09, 12:17 GMT
Seyyam, the Hamas security minister, was responsible for thousands of Hamas "security men". Thats one way of putting it. How many Fatah men did he kill, let alone Israelis?
Posted by Adam | 16.01.09, 08:42 GMT
These Israeli military leaders are barbarians. To hit the U.N. while the secretary of the U.N is there! They fear nothing. I wonder if they should really have a nuclear bomb. It is scary the total disregard for humanity, its international and humanitarian laws. When will the world step up and do something. No other country could get away with such atrocities. They are shelling refugees, women and children and hide like cowards behind civilians when they face real soldiers.
Posted by Sad | 16.01.09, 00:06 GMT
I have nothing but derision for the international community who is so afraid of Israel and their masters the USA. I have no hesitation in calling Israel a criminal terrorist state of the first order. They received a lof of help from the worlds number one terrorist state, the USA. This is a crime against humanity. It is time to jail Bush, Blair (that waste of space) and Aznar for their war crimes.
I express my full solidarity with the Palestinian people who are criminally occupied and attacked by Israel. I urge the whole international community to boycott Israel and treat it as a pariah state.
Posted by Patrick Murphy | 15.01.09, 23:10 GMT
Dear Imran,
all decent people are horrified by war and violence on any level, never mind this saturation bombing of innocent people who seem to have no means of escape. But sadly we cannot do anything about it. Only Israel and Gaza can reach a peaceful settlement. Otherwise the entire region will have to be "invaded" by the UN. Can you imagine how complicated that would be? I suspect most governments don't have the money to occupy Israel/Gaza for the next 50 years.
Several years into the Iraq "war" what has changed? I pray for peace every night, and I am not even a religious person.
Nobody wants to see mass-suffering any more, anywhere. We should have moved beyond scenes like this is 2009.
As for protests, I feel many people are simply too tired after work or worried about their own future to organise a mass-protest. But I assure you, nobody sane is taking any pleasure from the scenes in Gaza.
Posted by Sharon | 15.01.09, 22:57 GMT
Imran,
Before you go saying that the people of Europe don`t care about Muslims, you conveniently forget the British Soldiers, other Europeans and Americans who went to War against Serbia to defend Muslims. You also pathetically fail to mention the young men and women of Europe and America who died in the first Gulf War to free another Muslim country from the terror of Saddam Hussein.Our soldiers stood side by side with their Muslim allies.The people of Europe and America along with our Muslim allies, can sleep sound in their beds at night. I agree with you that more photos of the demonstration in Belfast should have been printed to show the wider public exactly who participated in it....
As for the innocent Palestinian people,the people ultimately responsible for their suffering are the thugs of Hamas who murdered and tortured hundreds of Palestinians when they took over Gaza.
Posted by Cliff | 15.01.09, 22:05 GMT
Israeli the only Standing terrorist state on Earth...
Posted by Adam | 15.01.09, 20:18 GMT
Imaran, you were very quiet when Muslim "freedom fighters" (Hamas) were firing rockets at Israeli school children. Israel has a right to defend herself and has shown remarkable restraint up until now. Perhaps you should try to take a wider look at the problem and not view it simplyt through a Muslim point of view. If your "line" on the Judgement Day" happens, Hamas will be in there too and will have to answer for the deaths of Israeli children AND the deaths in Gaza, as it was their actions that led to the invasion by Israel.
Posted by Centaur | 15.01.09, 18:15 GMT
well to honestly i think this is an utter disgrace on behalf of the israeli government by continuting this offensive is only depriving the palestinian people of their basic human rights ,I am aware that many people will try and counter this argument by saying israel has its right to defend its people but 1100 people in 20 days is mass genocide they are the crinimals of todays society and must be held accountable immediatley.
Posted by Malachy | 15.01.09, 17:00 GMT
Imran both the New York Times and Associated Press journalists on the scene in Gaza have admitted Hamas fighters are using UN facilities for cover, consequently they are targeted. The UN have only themselves to blame since they should have acted 3 years ago when Hamas started shelling southern Israel. As usual they showed themselves to be incompetent and toothless and bear some of the blame for the escalation in hostilities.
I would not say Europe is quiet. Sarkozy and other European leaders have been to the fore seeking a settlement. I also read about the protests in Belfast against Israel. Sorry, but it was covered. I don't need to look at the pictures to get the news. You need to stop reading the news with a prejudiced mind.
You are right about this though, judgment day is coming, but I fear that Islam and the Arab states are going to have to face their sins as much as anyone else.
Posted by David | 15.01.09, 16:45 GMT
this is rediculous. why the europe is quiet? are they afraid of israil. because only muslims are killed not people of europe. i know belfat telegraph is not going to publish this because i was there in the demontration against israel in belfast and they didnt even published a single picture of that. how much hypocrite u people are. it was more then 5000 people had gethered there. but there was a small news about it. no pictures of that published not on news paper or on website. but the day of judgement is coming it is very near and we all will come to know what we have done. its very near. and on that day we all will be in one line including mr bush and israelies. this is bad, unforgettable and u people are not doing justice not writing justice and not even thinking about justice.
Posted by Imran | 15.01.09, 16:17 GMT
Considering the IDF denies using phosphorus in an illegal way (other than as allowed as a smoke screen) and both the Red Cross and the World Health Organization both say they have no evidence to the contrary it is irresponsible not to doubt these reports.
only UNWRA employees in Gaza are Palestinians either Hamas members or scared what will happen if they say something Hamas does not agree with. By the way what does Phosphorus look and smell like?
Hamas is just trying to copy the Hizbullah playbook and make propaganda charges of fantasy weapons. After this is all over the charges will all prove groundless.
By the way The British Army also uses Phosphorus for cover and illumination. The Israelis do no more than anyone else.
Posted by David | 15.01.09, 14:56 GMT