Israeli Raid Kills 17, Hurts 200 at Gaza Market as U.N., West Slam Deadly Shelling of U.N. School

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية

At least 17 people were killed when Israeli warplanes fired on a packed Gaza market Wednesday in a deadly raid which came as Israel was observing a four-hour humanitarian lull, as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon condemned an Israeli strike on a Gaza school that killed 16 people as "unjustifiable."

Thick black smoke billowed over the market site in the war-torn Shejaiya neighborhood as at least five ambulances raced to the scene where bodies lay strewn on the ground, an AFP correspondent said.

A bloodied, limp lifeless body lay in a pool of petrol and mud, his head crushed, one of at least 17 people who were killed. At least 200 were wounded, medics said. 

It was supposed to have been a rare pause for Gaza's battered population of 1.8 million to go out in safety to stock up on goods, and for medics to evacuate the dead and wounded. 

Instead, there was further bloody mayhem with more than 30 people killed across Gaza in the first three hours alone, sending the death toll from 23 days of unrelenting Israeli attacks soaring above 1,300. 

Israel had said that its truce, which began at 1200 GMT, would not apply in places were troops were "currently operating" just hours after the army made what a "significant advance" into the narrow coastal strip. 

Hamas denounced the four-hour lull as a publicity stunt, saying it had "no value."

The strike on the market came hours after Israeli tank shells slammed into a school sheltering more than 3,000 homeless people, killing 16 and drawing a furious response from the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). 

It was the second time in a week that a U.N. school housing refugees had been hit, and UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl lashed out at Israel.

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms this serious violation of international law by Israeli forces," he said, indicating the school's location in the Jabaliya camp had been communicated to the Israeli army 17 times.

"No words to adequately express my anger and indignation," he wrote on his official Twitter account, saying that 3,300 people had been sheltering there at the time. 

"I call on the international community to take deliberate international political action to put an immediate end to the continuing carnage," he said.

Later on Wednesday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the strike as "unjustifiable," calling for those responsible to be held to account.

"This morning a U.N. school sheltering thousands of Palestinian families suffered a reprehensible attack," Ban said during a visit to Costa Rica.

"It is unjustifiable, and demands accountability and justice."

Ban accused the Israeli military of ignoring repeated communications on the location of the school.

"I want to make it clear that the exact location of this elementary school has been communicated to the Israeli military authorities 17 times, as recently as last night, just a few hours before this attack," he said.

"They are aware of the coordinates and exact location of where these people are."

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis meanwhile joined international calls for an end to the bloodshed.

"We want the immediate establishment of a U.N.-monitored ceasefire to enable an escape from this bloody vortex, which is an offense to humanity," he said.

Speaking at U.N. headquarters in New York, Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson voiced his "shock" and "dismay" at the attack.

"They were there under U.N. protection, under our protection," he said of the refugees.

He stressed that civilians seeking to flee the fighting had "nowhere to go" given that Gaza's borders with neighboring countries were shut.

"This is a moment when you really have to say 'enough is enough,'" he said.

John Ging, the director of operations for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said 229 children have died in the latest fighting between Israel and Hamas, 21 percent of all casualties.

He said a "child per hour is killed" in Gaza.

The White House for its part condemned the shelling of the U.N.-run school.

"The United States condemns the shelling of a UNRWA school in Gaza, which reportedly killed and injured innocent Palestinians, including children, and U.N. humanitarian workers," National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said.

Meehan said Washington was "extremely concerned that thousands of internally displaced Palestinians who have been called on by the Israeli military to evacuate their homes are not safe in U.N. designated shelters in Gaza."

"We also condemn those responsible for hiding weapons in United Nations facilities in Gaza," she said.

"All of these actions, and similar ones earlier in the conflict, are inconsistent with the U.N.'s neutrality. This violence underscores the need to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible," Meehan added.

French President Francois Hollande also condemned the shelling of the school.

Hollande "joins the U.N. secretary general in considering the act 'unjustifiable'," the president's office said in a statement.

Paris "demands the establishment of an immediate ceasefire," the statement said, adding that "all efforts must converge on this goal."

More than 100 people died in Israeli strikes across Gaza Wednesday, medics said, sending the Palestinian toll from 23 days of bombardment above 1,330.

And in Israel, the army said three troops had been killed in Gaza, raising the overall number of soldiers killed to 56 since the operation began on July 8.

The army said that three troops had been killed while trying to destroy a booby-trapped tunnel inside the Gaza Strip.

"Three soldiers were killed today inside the Gaza Strip," a spokeswoman told Agence France-Presse.

In a statement, the army said they had been killed "while uncovering an offensive tunnel shaft in a residence in the southern Gaza Strip.

"The house and the tunnel were booby trapped with two explosive devices that were detonated against the soldiers," it said.

The attack was claimed by Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, which claimed to have killed a group of soldiers during the bombing of a house in Khan Yunis where they were operating, in a statement was issued earlier in the day.

Another 27 soldiers were wounded in other incidents inside Gaza, the army said.

Media reports said the three soldiers had been killed and 15 wounded when a wall collapsed on them.

In a strike on a house in Tuffah neighborhood in northeastern Gaza City, seven members of the same family were killed, among them four children and a woman, emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said

In the southern city of Khan Yunis, a single strike killed 10 members of the same family, including a child, Qudra said, and in a later incident, seven members of another family also died as Israeli tank shelling struck the city.

Later in the day, medics pulled the bodies of another seven people from the rubble of a house in Khan Yunis, also from the same family. 

In another shelling attack in Gaza City, an 11-year-old disabled girl was killed, and a 16-year-old girl died in a strike on central Gaza. 

Another 28 people were killed in various attacks across the Gaza Strip as Israeli ground troops made a "significant advance" into the tiny coastal territory which is home to 1.8 million people. 

So far, 1,336 people have been killed -- 106 on Wednesday alone -- and more than 7,200 wounded since the start of the Israeli offensive, which began with an intensive air campaign on July 8 and expanded when Israel sent ground troops into the Gaza periphery on July 17.

Figures released at 1200 GMT on Tuesday by the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA give a figure of 1,118 dead, including at least 827 civilians, among them 243 children.

Of the 6,233 injured, 1,949 were children, it said.

OCHA also said up to 240,000 Palestinians had been internally displaced by the fighting, with the U.N. agency for refugees saying more than 200,000 of them had taken refuge in 85 of its shelters. The rest were staying with relatives or friends.

The Israeli army says that during its offensive it has attacked some 4,100 targets in Gaza, and militants have fired more than 2,670 rockets, of which 2,102 struck Israel and another 513 of which were shot down by its missile defense system, Iron Dome.

International efforts to end the bloody conflict have so far led nowhere, with current efforts focused on a top-level Palestinian delegation, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders, which was expected in Cairo in the coming days to discuss a new truce proposal.

In Tel Aviv, Israel's security cabinet was also locked in discussions over an Egyptian truce initiative, army radio said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had spoken to exiled Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal and proposed the 24-hour truce, which the Hamas chief had "agreed," senior official Nabil Shaath told AFP.

But a Hamas spokesman denied agreeing to any new truce, saying they first wanted "an Israeli commitment" and its military chief Mohammed Deif said there would be no ceasefire without Israel lifting its eight-year blockade on Gaza.

Comments 27
Missing zgmdf 30 July 2014, 08:28

How about the approximately 150 Hamas rockets that fell within Gaza boundaries, on their own people, instead of on Israel? How many death and injuries have they caused? Do they at all care?

Thumb Kalzyturks 30 July 2014, 10:02

Lol, how gullible do you think we are, oh yeah your gods chosen people

Missing minlibnan 30 July 2014, 15:31

Ya because it's the first tune Israel targets shelters. Remember qana

Missing munjk1 30 July 2014, 16:36

Why don't you just shut up and bow your head in respect to the victims of indiscriminate Israeli bombing.

Thumb cash.puppet 30 July 2014, 21:40

waynak inta? Why not go fight and help if you care? yea ok. thought so

Thumb kanaanljdid 30 July 2014, 14:48

1280? Maybe at 2000 Hamas will eventually claim "victory" and stop this ridiculous war.

Missing phillipo 30 July 2014, 15:30

1280 have been killed. Let's check the maths to see how many of them are "civilians"
1. How many "civilians" killed in Gaza belonged to Hamas, Islamic Jihad or the other terrorist organisations. Killed shooting at Israeli soldiers, how many were killed at rocket launchers, how many were killed exiting tunnels inside Israel.
2. How many "civilians" killed in Gaza died from by over 150 Hamas etc rockets misfiring and landing within the Gaza Strip.
3. How many "civilians" killed in Gaza were murdered by Hamas thugs trying to stop them leaving their homes after Israel ordered them to.
4. How many "civilians" killed in Gaza were executed for actively demonstrating in favour of peace.
5. How many "civilians" killed in Gaza were actually from other battle sites as have been proved by seeing scenes in international media of dead in Syria and Iraq being branded by Hamas as some of their dead, or photos showing a mother holding her dead baby with a mound of snow behind her.

Missing phillipo 30 July 2014, 19:15

As far as 4 & 5 are concerned, get your head out of your arse and read the international pressb (not the Israeli). Look at the photos and then continue to deny.
Ask the Italian journalist who left Gaza on Tuesday what the truth is about the schoolyard deaths.
"Civilians", as there is no such thing as a Palestinian (Hamas) Army, then all Gaza residents are civilians.

Thumb _mowaten_ 30 July 2014, 19:29

philipo, you are making very big accusations, it is up to you to prove it.
until now we know FOR SURE that the children, women and elderly were NOT fighters. these constitute the overwhelming majority of those massacred by the israeli war machine.

as for the men, they were certainly not all fighters, so actually only a fraction of the fraction of the dead can be considered legitimate targets in time of war.
the rest is purely war crimes.

now let me as you a question, what percentage of israeli dead are civilian? and what percentage are soldiers? thank you. shove it. good bye.

Missing canadianadam 30 July 2014, 19:53

43 percent of gazans are under the age of 14 you ignoramus. I guess throwing rocks at tanks makes you military.

Thumb Bandoul 30 July 2014, 16:24

Where is the Israeli response to this outrageous, inhumane attack on a friggin shelter which by all accounts appears to have been communicated clearly to IDF as being a shelter? This is a war crime, was it deliberate? A mistake? What Naharnet? WTF? I thought Israelis are not animals and would not deliberately attack civilians! If this story is accurate then to hell with Israel if it doesn't explain itself and pay severe penalties and reparations for this serious heinous crime and the loss of lives of innocent children. What is this? the Jungle? So angry right now my effen tax dollars paid for the bomb that fell on these children. Allahy yir7amkon ya wled! F wars, F the animals who invent and execute wars under false pretexts and ideology from either side!!! How can we let children die like this?

Missing imagine_1979 30 July 2014, 17:09

Roar are u phenician? I heard some got lost from our national museum during the war...
Mean relax, think a little, the palestenians had homes, the are been thrown fron their land because god promised it to some other religion??? And u find this normal, so they just must relocate?... Really man come back u will feel more at ease in the middle there are plenty who think like u, zionist (ur jewish side) da3ech (like u but suni flavor) khomainist (with a shiite taste)... U really should not spend all ur wonderfull sence of logic in some civilized coutry, come back home man, and of course, have some chupachups...

Thumb cash.puppet 30 July 2014, 21:47

Supporting HA and be pro-Israel Roar! Doesnt make sense, and thats coming from me... I would agree with what you say except for the Israelis being home part. Thats a load of media propaganda nonsense. People should live wherever they call home. The Zionist state is nothing more than a bunch of elite atheists using Judaism as a means to build a personal army of 7m braindead sheep who think they are sent from God himself, and they will stop at nothing to take over any/all Arab/Phoenician/whatever you wanna call it land.

Thumb cash.puppet 30 July 2014, 22:24

Thats because roar doesnt put words in my mouth and twist and distort discussions like you tend to do sometimes, here is being truthful and up front about his views and I made clear what I clearly disagree with. No Zionist state, no matter what they do/say, or if they "wont give up". That's essentially trading peace for slavery

Thumb cash.puppet 30 July 2014, 23:03

Yes ok sexy texy, you do not distort at all and are always respectful, never putting a word in anyone's mouth, and never accusing HA supporters of being terrorists and the like, etc etc. go play somewhere else dude, stick to the discussion, save your emotions for a therapist

Default-user-icon munjk1 (Guest) 30 July 2014, 16:39

How long are we going to keep seeing the comments of Israeli agents on this forum?

Thumb ice-man 30 July 2014, 17:16

are you shia or secular?

Missing imagine_1979 30 July 2014, 19:54

Tex, hamas didn't knew that civilians would be targeted??? Really man???? Really???? U remind me of a guy that took my country into hell before declaring "if i knew" (lawou kountou a3lam...)
I support the palestinian cause because it is juste, bc thise are people expropriated by fanatics who believes that God promissed them this holly land...but hamas could hv done lot better, i wont support hams or find excuses like :no shelter bc they didnot know that israel will attack childreen...
I wont support a fanatic movement, like in lebanon i support lebanon right to resist, to take back its land (by diplomacy or by force) but i wont support an armed fanatic militia who killed an persecuted other lebanese (leftist resistants for exemple in south leb, or fatah and co. in the case of hamas)...

Missing imagine_1979 30 July 2014, 20:04

Sorry tex u were sarcastic...
I will go have some chupachups, i think reading very civilized, modern and secular phenician ROAR coments got me a little confused.. U know for us arab it can be too much enlighting such progresist ideas...

Missing imagine_1979 30 July 2014, 20:04

Sorry tex u were sarcastic...
I will go have some chupachups, i think reading very civilized, modern and secular phenician ROAR coments got me a little confused.. U know for us arab it can be too much enlighting such progresist ideas...

Thumb nickjames 30 July 2014, 21:05

This is getting ugly. Philipo, most of these people are innocent civilians. However, this is Gaza, the "world's largest open-air prison" which means a bunch of ghettos. Obviously there are Hamas fighters in these residential buildings, and I hate to say this but the rules of engagement say that civilians hiding fighters and rockets in their houses are no longer civilians. Hamas cannot shoot rockets from underground tunnels, they have to bring them up into the buildings. The UN school thing is something else, but I'm saying in general that although Israel has killed many innocent civilians, you can't deny that Hamas contributes to it as well. There are many buildings Hamas can fire rockets, Israel blows up buildings without caring who's in them. There can be fighters, there can be civilians, there could be both. It's an ugly war

Thumb nickjames 30 July 2014, 21:32

Drew, from between buildings. There are not many open spaces. There are buildings everywhere. You think they're just gonna drive to open fields? They have to conceal the launchers

Thumb nickjames 30 July 2014, 21:34

And how do Hamas fighters get to the surface? Many entrances into the tunnels are from houses. They're not only from open fields. There's guerrilla warfare involved

Thumb nickjames 30 July 2014, 21:37

I wasn't saying they launch rockets from windows and rooftops. But in order to transport them from the tunnels, they have to use some buildings.

Thumb nickjames 30 July 2014, 21:13

Imagine has a great point. Palestinians and Lebanese have the right to engage Israel when they attack our lands. However that does not give Hamas the right to kick Fatah out of Gaza or Hezbollah the right to take over Beirut. Bigjohn is gonna defend both and say Fatah collaborated with the Israeli enemy. But remember Israel didn't arrest Hamas members in the West Bank until after Hamas did that cross-border raid from Gaza. Hamas is an obstruction to the peace talks

Thumb kanaandian 31 July 2014, 01:26

muslims and jews cannot live in peace.
ya'll should become christian, join us in peace.

Thumb ice-man 31 July 2014, 06:08

are you a secular shia?