The Israeli army has opened fire on a crowd of Palestinian demonstrators in the town of Rafah in southern Gaza.
At least 10 people were killed and 60 injured, though some reports put the number of casualties higher.
The army said it did not deliberately target protesters, but a helicopter and tanks had fired warning shots to stop crowds entering a battle zone.
Thousands of people were demonstrating against a massive Israeli operation in the refugee camp on the edge of Rafah.
Israeli forces entered Rafah refugee camp on Tuesday to attack militants and find and destroy tunnels used to smuggle weapons.
It has been one of the largest and bloodiest operations in Gaza since Israel occupied it in 1967, leaving at least 34 dead and 100 wounded. There have been no Israeli casualties.
The United States says it is "very concerned" about the number of Palestinian dead and injured and has asked Israel for "the facts".
"We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint," said White House press secretary Scott McClellan.
Hospital chaos
The incident happened as about 3,000 demonstrators marched down the main street of Rafah towards the Tel Sultan area where Israeli raids have been concentrated in the last two days.
Dramatic TV footage of the incident showed a large explosion going off in the middle of a crowd as Israeli helicopters flew overhead firing anti-missile flares.
Dozens of wounded - many of them children - were evacuated by ambulance, private cars and donkey carts to the Rafah hospital, witnesses said.
A BBC correspondent at the hospital said the floors were drenched in blood as doctors treated incoming patients in corridors and on staircases.
The Israeli military said it was too early to say exactly what had happened, although it suggested that explosives laid by Palestinians could have been responsible.
Army spokeswoman Brig Gen Ruth Yaron said that Israeli forces had fired warning shots after seeing "armed men in the midst of the demonstration".
"Tank shells were fired at [an abandoned] structure, at no point in the direction of the demonstrators," she said, although she admitted that it was possible that there may have been "casualties as a result of the tank shells".
"We regret the loss of innocent life and are offering to treat those who are injured in our hospitals," she added.
Besieged district
The bloodshed came shortly after reports that thousands of Tel Sultan residents had complied with an Israeli demand that they surrender.
Twenty-four Palestinians have already died in Tel Sultan during an operation dubbed "Operation Rainbow" by the Israeli army.
Soldiers had called on loudspeakers for all males aged 16 or over to come out carrying white flags or risk the demolition of their family homes.
Israeli commanders later told journalists they only wanted militants to come out.
Israeli actions have raised an international outcry after army chief Lt Gen Moshe Yaalon said troops would flatten rows of homes in Rafah camp to widen a patrol road along the border with Egypt.
Palestinian militants are active in the area, and seven Israeli soldiers were killed nearby in ambushes last week.
The area also houses tunnels for smuggling weapons from Egyptian territory less than a kilometre away, the army says.
However, the army said on Tuesday that there was no plan to carry out systematic demolition of homes during the operation.
I can’t fucking believe this bit
Heartless Zionist scumbag spokesperson wrote:"Tank shells were fired at [an abandoned] structure, at no point in the direction of the demonstrators," she said, although she admitted that it was possible that there may have been "casualties as a result of the tank shells".
It’s an understandable mistake I suppose, nobody could possibly have predicted that using battlefield weapons for crowd control in an incredibly densely populated area would result in casualties.
"We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint," said White House press secretary Scott McClellan.
All parties huh? Seems to me that a certain party needs more restraint then the other, but that's just me.
Anyways, I'm not really sure what else to say. This doesn't surprise me, no I don't think anything will be done about it, and yes I think the Israelies will go right on killing and dislocating their citizens. Business as usual for them.
Cpl Kendall wrote:
It seems that with each new incident that Israel becomes more like Nazi Germany.
Do you know, that Israel is the last state in the world, producing Zyklon B?
Just a little fact.
You have GOT to be SHITTING ME!
That goes so very fucking far beyond "irony" I don't have a clue as to what word in the very versatile English language covers it!!!!!
Of course they call it different, but it's the same stuff, so I'm not lying.
They use it to fight against the insect pluagues that can hit this part of the world if they have bad luck. (Still, it is somehow a bit pervert fact, but a fact)
Of course, it's the damn Palestinians fault, as usual, Israel is blameless, there is no fault with Israel, fault and blame are committing suicides at the gates of Tel Aviv...
The End of Suburbia
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"The Wire" is the best show in the history of television. Watch it today.
It seems they much of accidently picked up the Chinese Crowd Control Manual. When facing a rally, use tanks against it.
Incidently, Zyklon B is the form of hydrocyanic acid that the Nazis used in their gas chambers, right? What the hell do the Israelis use it for?
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HemlockGrey wrote:I think Israel claimed that there were gunmen in the crowd, although I doubt that there really were.
So what if they were? Does that justify opening up on a crowd of civilians, especially ones that are inside their borders?
I thought the geneva convention said that it does.
No?
Then the movie Rules of Engagement has lied to me!
Darn you, Samuel L. Jackson!
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"Like...are we canonical?" --Aaron Dembski-Bowden to Dan Abnett
The army said Israeli soldiers fired about four tank shells at an abandoned building, which blocked their view of protesters who were passing on the other side at that very moment. At least one of the shells tore through the building and hit the crowd. Israeli forces also fired a missile and machine guns but said nobody was hurt as a result.
Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon said troops did not deliberately fire on marchers.
"No commander or soldier gave an order or got an order or deliberately aimed at civilians ,and we're sorry that innocent civilians got hit. We don't aim at Palestinian civilians," Yaalon said.
So the shells were fired at a building BETWEEN the tank and the demonstrators, “troops did not deliberately fire on marchers” no just straight FUCKING AT THEM. Just how far are we gonna let these bastards go before we stop supporting their every move
The army said Israeli soldiers fired about four tank shells at an abandoned building, which blocked their view of protesters who were passing on the other side at that very moment. At least one of the shells tore through the building and hit the crowd. Israeli forces also fired a missile and machine guns but said nobody was hurt as a result.
Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon said troops did not deliberately fire on marchers.
"No commander or soldier gave an order or got an order or deliberately aimed at civilians ,and we're sorry that innocent civilians got hit. We don't aim at Palestinian civilians," Yaalon said.
So the shells were fired at a building BETWEEN the tank and the demonstrators, “troops did not deliberately fire on marchers” no just straight FUCKING AT THEM. Just how far are we gonna let these bastards go before we stop supporting their every move
What the major fuck is wrong with the Israelis,last time i checked demolition was done with bulldozers not artillary fire.
Jerry Orbach 1935 2004 Admiral Valdemar~You know you've fucked up when Wacky Races has more realistic looking vehicles than your own.
Israel rebuked over Gaza killings
he United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution criticising Israel's killing of civilians and demolition of homes in the Gaza Strip.
The 14-0 vote came after at least 10 Palestinians were killed when Israeli troops opened fire on protesters in Rafah refugee camp.
The US - which normally vetoes anti-Israel resolutions - abstained.
In a further rebuke, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Israel's actions were harming peace efforts.
"I believe the activities of the Israeli defence forces in Gaza in recent days have caused a problem and have worsened the situation and I think made it more difficult for us to move forward and get back into the peace process," Mr Powell told reporters.
Earlier, US President George W Bush said he had asked Israel for "clarification", and urged all sides in the Middle East to exercise restraint and respect innocent life.
The Security Council resolution calls on Israel to stop the demolition of Palestinian homes and condemns the killing of Palestinian civilians.
It was put forward by Algeria, the only Arab nation currently in the 15-member council.
"[Israel] cannot continue to flout its authority and norms of international law with impunity," said Algerian ambassador Abdallah Baali.
Earlier, Israel had said it would press ahead with its offensive.
Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said the army operation was essential and would continue for as long as necessary.
About 60 people were injured in Wednesday's incident, though some reports put the number of casualties higher. The dead included children and teenagers.
It takes to at least 34 the number of Palestinians killed since Israeli forces entered the camp on Tuesday. It has been one of the largest and bloodiest operations in Gaza since Israel occupied it in 1967.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has called for international observers to protect his people, describing the events in Rafah as "atrocious crimes".
Reuters news agency quoted the UN special human rights envoy in the Palestinian territories, John Dugard, as saying that the strikes were "war crimes" and amounted to collective punishment violating humanitarian and international human rights law.
Israel says its incursion is aimed at destroying tunnels used to smuggle weapons from under the nearby border with Egypt. The Israeli army has expressed deep sorrow for the loss of innocent life.
'Armed men'
The killings happened on Wednesday afternoon as about 3,000 demonstrators marched down the main street of Rafah towards the Tel Sultan area where Israeli raids have been concentrated.
Dramatic TV footage showed a large explosion going off in the middle of a crowd as Israeli helicopters flew overhead firing anti-missile flares.
Army spokeswoman Brigadier General Ruth Yaron said Israeli forces had fired warning shots at a nearby abandoned building after seeing "armed men" in the crowd.
Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Moshe Yaalon said the soldiers did not deliberately fire on the protesters.
"We're sorry that innocent civilians got hit, we don't aim at Palestinian civilians," Gen Yaalon said.
The Israeli military said it was too early to say exactly what had happened, although it suggested that explosives laid by Palestinians could have been responsible.
I wonder if, now that big brother has stopped shielding Israel at every turn, Israel will reign its self in a little?
Η ζωή, η ζωή εδω τελειώνει!
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I'll say again: I think the best solution to this problem would be to withdraw all military and financial support from Israel ... and give it to Palestine. Then switch off every few years. Either they'll learn to put themselves in the other's shoes, or they'll kill each other. Either way, we won't have to put up with their shit anymore.
Damien Sorresso
"Ever see what them computa bitchez do to numbas? It ain't natural. Numbas ain't supposed to be code, they supposed to quantify shit."
- The Onion
Durandal wrote:I'll say again: I think the best solution to this problem would be to withdraw all military and financial support from Israel ... and give it to Palestine. Then switch off every few years. Either they'll learn to put themselves in the other's shoes, or they'll kill each other. Either way, we won't have to put up with their shit anymore.
Better to just cut off all aid right now and have that be that. I'm not so keen on the idea of giving the Palestinians money to create a state lorded over by Arafat or someone else equally or more thuggish.
BoTM / JL / MM / HAB / VRWC / Horseman
I'm studying for the CPA exam. Have a nice summer, and if you're down just sit back and realize that Joe is off somewhere, doing much worse than you are.
I don't know why we have to be so fucking polite when it comes to diplomatic relations with Isreal. We're the big kid on the block and we can really put them into a world of shit if we want to. Let's just stop pussyfooting around with our being "very concerned" and tell them to quit being shitheads.
