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Last update - 20:50 06/01/2009
At least 30 Gazans killed in strike on UN school; IDF: Troops fired in self-defense
By News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Hamas, Gaza 

Israel Defense Forces tank fire killed at least 30 Palestinians at a United Nations school in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, UN officials and medical sources and at two hospitals said.



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Palestinian officials had initially said that 40 people were killed in the attack, but UN sources put the number at 30 killed and 55 wounded.

An IDF spokesman said that troops had fired mortar rounds at the school, after militants barricaded inside shot mortar shells at the Israeli forces.

"Initial checks ... show that from inside the school mortars were fired at Israeli forces," a spokesman said. "In response, the forces fired a number of mortar rounds into the area."

The army said that the bodies of numerous Hamas militants were found inside the school following the attack.

The attack brought the Palestinian death toll to nearly 600 in Israel's 11-day offensive on the Hamas-ruled coastal territory.

Two tank shells exploded outside the Gaza school, spraying shrapnel on people inside and outside the building, where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge from fighting between Israeli soldiers and Hamas militants. In addition to the dead, several dozen people were wounded, the officials said.

Medical officials said all the dead were either people sheltering in the school or local residents.

Also on Tuesday, Israel Air Force warplanes struck a building in Gaza in which the head of Hamas' rocket division was staying. It was not immediately clear whether Ayman Sayam was hit in the attack, which occurred in the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

"There's nowhere safe in Gaza. Everyone here is terrorized and traumatized," said John Ging, the top UN official in Gaza, blaming the international community for allowing the violence to continue.

"I am appealing to political leaders here and in the region and the world to get their act together and stop this," he said, speaking at Gaza's largest hospital. "They are responsible for these deaths."

The Israel Defense Forces had no comment on the incident, but in the past has accused militants of using schools, mosques and residential neighborhoods to store weapons or launch attacks.

Earlier Tuesday, Palestinian medical officials reported that 10 civilians were killed when a shell fired by an Israeli ship hit their house on the Gaza shore.

Officials in Gaza said at least 20 people were killed in shelling up and down the strip on Tuesday. Only two of the dead could could be immediately confirmed as militants.

United Nations humanitarian chief John Holmes has recently put the Palestinian death toll at 500, with about 125 of them civilians, since Israel launched Operation Cast Lead against Hamas in Gaza.

Gaza health officials, however, have reported that since the offensive began on Dec. 27 more than 550 Palestinians have been killed and 2,500 wounded, including 200 civilians.

Israel's stated goals in the operation are the cessation of Palestinian cross-border rocket fire and the destruction of the Islamist militant group Hamas' infrastructure.


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      1.   How many Gaza civilians were killed by Hamas? 10:33  |  Zev 06/01/09
      2.   Most Civilians Are Harmed BY Hamas Blamed On Israel 12:15  |  Baruch Gold 06/01/09
      3.   Even Fox News is showing photos of dead Pal kids 12:41  |  Michael 06/01/09
      4.   What is a civilian? Any way Hamas should protect their own people 12:48  |  arthur 06/01/09
      5.   Michael #3 14:05  |  Jay 06/01/09
      6.   response to Arthur 14:14  |  steve 06/01/09
      7.   #3 michael in more of dreamland 14:17  |  v hardman 06/01/09
      8.   Civilians? 14:20  |  Henry Michalski 06/01/09
      9.   The End of humanity 17:22  |  Paul 06/01/09
      10.   payback yes! 17:23  |  merre 06/01/09
      11.   response to Steve #6 17:23  |  Even Steven 06/01/09
      12.   Hamas defeat 17:27  |  Haroun 06/01/09
      13.   Think properly 17:31  |  S Awaad 06/01/09
      14.   Israel is clearly on the wrong path 17:34  |  tristan 06/01/09
      15.   Butchers 18:53  |  sad 06/01/09
      16.   civilians/war/truth/ 18:53  |  N. Hollander 06/01/09
      17.   Are you proud of this? 18:57  |  Nil32 06/01/09
      18.   Our Jewish People Are Foolish 18:58  |  Brian 06/01/09
      19.   Israel does not have the upper hand 19:00  |  Joshua 06/01/09
      20.   Indiscriminate fire ! 19:04  |  Anderson 06/01/09
      21.   #14 Tristan 19:05  |  Turkish Jew 06/01/09
      22.   Tragedy & Massacre 19:05  |  Shlomo 06/01/09
      23.   "promised" land 19:07  |  bert 06/01/09
      24.   Israel is killing. 19:15  |  Hebronite 06/01/09
      25.   130 killed in Un school 19:16  |  Mick 06/01/09
      26.   Sad #8 19:17  |  TJ Jackson 06/01/09
      27.   What is a civilian and how are they reported? 19:18  |  Arie 06/01/09
      28.   finish them off 19:18  |  david 06/01/09
      29.   Un School 19:22  |  Maerton 06/01/09
      30.   In responce to Tristan 19:23  |  Maerton 06/01/09
      31.   to Zev, Baruch, Hardman, etc... 19:23  |  kaled 06/01/09
      32.   War is deadly. 19:23  |  Richard S 06/01/09
      33.   Hey Even Steven 19:24  |  Old Soldier 06/01/09
      34.   Who ? really trusts UN monitors. Check past performances 19:26  |  Sarah 06/01/09
      35.   Even Fox News is getting embarrassed about Cast Lead 19:26  |  Michael 06/01/09
      36.   Drop freakin aid in addition to bombs 19:28  |  nir 06/01/09
      37.   IDF Spokesman will release footage 19:29  |  inisrael 06/01/09
      38.   Hey Haroun 19:30  |  Old Soldier 06/01/09
      39.   S Awaad - You Should Think Properly 19:32  |  Old Soldier 06/01/09
      40.   This is what happens when you fire from schools 19:33  |  Levi 06/01/09
      41.   Let`s see all the vanilla posts, Moderator 19:35  |  Clickfool 06/01/09
      42.   Pals using human shields again 19:36  |  Adrian de Klerk 06/01/09
      43.   Hamas` Human Shields 19:39  |  Rebekah 06/01/09
      44.   You will not be unpunished for this "war" 19:44  |  Fritz T. 06/01/09
      45.   Is it worth? 19:44  |  Worried 06/01/09
      46.   #12, whishfull thinking, big daddy halp me... 19:46  |  Fritz T. 06/01/09
      47.   Response to S Awaad 19:47  |  flyingdoc57 06/01/09
      48.   this is a crime 19:47  |  Gabriela 06/01/09
      49.   response #4 Good 19:53  |  Farrel 06/01/09
      50.   pure murders 19:59  |  Mike USA 06/01/09
      51.   UN disinformation: truth is hamas fired from within this school 20:01  |  ralph 06/01/09
      52.   You are sorely tested, but you are failing the test 20:02  |  martin 06/01/09
      53.   Important Omissions From This So-Called News Report 20:04  |  chet 06/01/09
      54.   have no civilian been killed by hamas fire? 20:07  |  vik 06/01/09
      55.   Hamas fired Mortars from School 20:07  |  Claude 06/01/09
      56.   Israel should be more careful 20:08  |  Tulip 06/01/09
      57.   Michael and Obama 20:09  |  Tulip 06/01/09
      58.   "The International Community" 20:11  |  Eric 06/01/09
      59.   Levi 20:15  |  Persian Kitty 06/01/09
      60.   #8... get your facts straight... 20:21  |  danny Senonni 06/01/09
      61.   Terrorism Awareness 20:21  |  Carole 06/01/09
      62.   Michael & Tulip re Obama 20:21  |  Persian Kitty 06/01/09
      63.   #9, The end of humanity? 20:26  |  Kevin 06/01/09
      64.   hamas is defending gazans in UN School 20:26  |  PAuline 06/01/09
      65.   Reply to "Hamas fired Mortars from School" 20:28  |  Marcelo 06/01/09
      66.   Hamas fired mortars from the school ? 20:29  |  Larissa 06/01/09
      67.   #27 Wik 20:29  |  PAuline 06/01/09
      68.   Deja vue 20:31  |  obserever 06/01/09
      69.   truth finally comes out 20:37  |  agathe 06/01/09
      70.   Spokesperson 20:41  |  Martin 06/01/09
      71.   #17 - The Old Soldier 20:46  |  Doubleclick 06/01/09
      72.   A Very Simple Solution To Any Controversy About IDF Actions 20:46  |  chet 06/01/09
      73.   So sad ! 20:46  |  Yohann 06/01/09
      74.   Observer 20:47  |  Persian Kitty 06/01/09
      75.   No wonder....the world is against Israel forces! 20:47  |  MMM 06/01/09
      76.   To the Moderator in response to #37 21:05  |  THK 06/01/09
      77.   # 75 - MMM 21:06  |  Reuben 06/01/09
      78.   Marcelo 21:06  |  MMM 06/01/09
      79.   Hamas must be brought to justice for using human shields! 21:07  |  r 06/01/09
      80.   Tyey got their stories mixed up 21:11  |  John 06/01/09
      81.   Barbaric Hamas 21:11  |  jay 06/01/09
      82.   Hamas -- cowards 21:12  |  Angel 06/01/09
      83.   The morons who post here crack me up... 21:14  |  Dan 06/01/09
      84.   bonbon? 21:14  |  Tina 06/01/09
      85.   Gaza 21:25  |  Marina 06/01/09
      86.   did the UN mention that Hamas was in the school firing at IDF? 21:25  |  r 06/01/09
      87.   Shameful and immoral 21:25  |  Concerned American 06/01/09
      88.   Israel popularity at an all time low 21:26  |  ken 06/01/09
      89.   Gazans killed 21:26  |  Elias 06/01/09
      90.   UN lies 21:37  |  David 06/01/09
      91.   Israeli government is dominated by ex-Soviets 21:37  |  Joe 06/01/09
      92.   Hundreds of Gazans Inside the U.N. School Didn`t Stop Hamasniks 21:37  |  Joseph.E 06/01/09
      93.   the creaters hand is not in this evil 21:37  |  billy jack 06/01/09
      94.   More Usage of Human Shields By Hamas 21:38  |  Baruch Gold 06/01/09
      95.   MMM:world against Israel 22:17  |  Arie 06/01/09
      96.   Gaza 22:18  |  Thomas 06/01/09
      97.   UN intervention 22:20  |  Mark Darsemann 06/01/09
      98.   Fearing Israel Cristalize Worlwide Hatred 22:21  |  michel 06/01/09
      99.   Hamas kills 30+ in a bus bombing 22:23  |  Ronnbo 06/01/09
      100.   Well now you understand why 22:28  |  marcelo 06/01/09
      101.   Proof Hamas were firing from this school at Israel 22:30  |  David Stoler 06/01/09
      102.   Hamas fires mortars from school of children 22:34  |  David 06/01/09
      103.   RE: David Stoler`s proof 22:44  |  Mark Darsemann 06/01/09
      104.   Liars 03:48  |  Houston Oiler 07/01/09
      105.   #103 Mark Darsemann 05:49  |  Howard 07/01/09
      106.   Finally a Jew who speaks of Israeli terror 06:23  |  Duce 07/01/09
      107.   You call yourself civilized country? 06:28  |  Joe 07/01/09
      108.   Shouldn`t Israel know better? I`m so ashamed for you.. 06:29  |  Jeremy 07/01/09
      109.   hamas use of human shields 06:33  |  Adrian de Klerk 07/01/09
      110.   At least 30 Gazans killed in strike on UN school; IDF: Troops fir 06:33  |  kofi 07/01/09
      111.   #104 Houston O. : Join The Rapidly Growing Club 06:36  |  Gray 07/01/09
      112.   # 41 Clickfool ..... wass-up with the nasty 06:37  |  allang 07/01/09
      113.   RE: David Stoler`s proof 08:12  |  Jamie Jones 07/01/09
      114.   conflict 08:20  |  Virginia 07/01/09
      115.   An Eye for an Eye 08:51  |  Foxbat 07/01/09
      116.   You are wrong Jamie Jones 08:57  |  Allan 07/01/09
      117.   # 106 Duce 10:26  |  Avi Shlaim`s article 07/01/09
      118.   gaza strip 03:09  |  lori 11/06/09
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