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Last update - 23:48 14/01/2009
For the first time, Gaza militants fire phosphorus shell at Israel
By Yanir Yagna, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Hamas, IDF, Israel News, Gaza

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday fired their first phosphorus shell into Israel, which exploded in an open area in the Eshkol area in the western Negev.



No injuries or damage were reported.
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The phosphorus shell came as Gaza militants fired at least 16 rockets at southern Israel throughout the day Wednesday, causing no casualties.

White phosphorus is not considered a chemical weapon. Militaries are
permitted under laws of warfare to use it in artillery shells, bombs and
rockets to create smoke screens to hide troop movements as well as bright bursts in the air to illuminate battlefields at night.

However, the substance can cause serious burns if it touches the skin and can spark fires on the ground.

Human Rights Watch on Sunday accused Israel of firing artillery shells packed with white phosphorus over populated areas of Gaza during recent fighting, including a crowded refugee camp, putting civilians at risk.

Israel maintains that it uses munitions in complete accordance with international law.

Palestinian militants have fired at least 16 rockets into Israel since Wednesday morning, all of them hitting open areas near Ashdod, Ashkelon, Be'er Sheva and in the western Negev. Five Israelis in Ashdod were treated for shock.

No injuries or damage were reported in the attacks.

More than 15 rockets were fired at Israel Tuesday, some of them during a three-hour humanitarian truce. One rocket hit an Ashkelon educational institution, causing some damage.

The Shin Bet security service said Tuesday that Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired some 565 rockets and 200 mortar shells at southern Israel since the Israel Defense Forces launched its offensive on the Hamas-ruled coastal territory on December 27 - an average of more than 30 a day.

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      1.   So where are people claiming war-crimes 18:54  |  Gee 14/01/09
      2.   What does Israel really expect? 19:09  |  Silvienne 14/01/09
      3.   Wrong War 19:10  |  Shimon Cleopas 14/01/09
      4.   WAR CRIME... White phosphorus bomb can not be 19:33  |  Ben 14/01/09
      5.   Silvienne - Hamas is acting like an army so 19:34  |  Ben 14/01/09
      6.   If it is acceptable for Israel to use 19:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/01/09
      7.   white phosphorous 19:46  |  rehovot 14/01/09
      8.   Here`s one person saying "war crimes" 19:49  |  Aaron Levitt 14/01/09
      9.   #2 Silvienne - What do the Palestinians really expect? 19:53  |  Jon 14/01/09
      10.   HAMAS WAR CRIMES 20:01  |  The Teacher/Instruct 14/01/09
      11.   Does anybody actually expect morality from Hamas 20:06  |  x-ray 14/01/09
      12.   #1 GEE 20:07  |  KR 14/01/09
      13.   So very droll 20:16  |  Mark Lincoln 14/01/09
      14.   9 Jon: Other option IDF goes door to door 20:17  |  Tupac 14/01/09
      15.   Time for everyone to switch sides 20:26  |  Mark Lincoln 14/01/09
      16.   right 20:29  |  rm 14/01/09
      17.   duplicity 20:34  |  concerned 14/01/09
      18.   their first phosphorus shell 20:34  |  wu 14/01/09
      19.   This is why Israel MUST FULLY disarm Gaza 20:43  |  Jeff 14/01/09
      20.   Human Rights Watch Silent 20:44  |  Chip 14/01/09
      21.   White Phosphorus and Hamas? 20:45  |  Mo 14/01/09
      22.   Gaza madness 20:48  |  jeff 14/01/09
      23.   How convenient 22:19  |  Mark 14/01/09
      24.   #14 Tupac - use your brain 22:31  |  Jon 14/01/09
      25.   Where did HAMAS obtain the phosphorus? 22:40  |  Mohamed ibn Abdallah 14/01/09
      26.   killing children for election 01:01  |  john 15/01/09
      27.   They could have made it themselves Mohamd 01:31  |  Mark Lincoln 15/01/09
      28.   it must be a bomb that didn`t explode 02:02  |  Peter 15/01/09
      29.   send me evidence 02:10  |  Mark 15/01/09
      30.   Mark, send us evidence that you are Mark 04:16  |  mark 15/01/09
      31.   AARON LEVITT you were in JENIN during the battle?? 06:07  |  PETER SM 15/01/09
      32.   into the desert... 15:03  |  clockwerk 15/01/09
      33.   Dear Ben Bodoh 15:06  |  clockwerk 15/01/09
      34.   dear rehovot robot head 15:10  |  clockwerk 15/01/09
      35.   Dear Jon Porn #9 15:14  |  clockwerk 15/01/09
      36.   ISRAEL`S WAR CRIMESSSS x infinity 15:23  |  clockwerk 15/01/09
      37.   #9, Jon and my "Palestinian friends"... 18:29  |  Silvienne 15/01/09
      38.   BBC World News in Gaza... 19:36  |  Silvienne 15/01/09
      39.   convenient indeed 10:35  |  tamere 16/01/09
      40.   Did Mark Regev or Tzipi Livni see this 17:20  |  jay rhodes 22/01/09
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