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Mourners standing beside bodies of Palestinian children killed in Gaza on Monday (Reuters)
Last update - 12:51 29/04/2008
PM voices 'deep remorse' for Gaza deaths, but says Hamas put victims at risk
By Barak Ravid, Yuval Azoulay, Fadi Eyadat and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: IDF, Israel, Hamas 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, responding Tuesday to the deaths of four small children and their mother as IDF forces hunted gunmen in Gaza the day before, voiced "deep remorse" for the victims, but said Hamas militants operating in civilian areas had exposed non-combatants to danger and turned them "into an inseparable part of the war."

Israel and Hamas have traded accusations over the Monday incident, with the Israel Defense Forces maintaining that the deaths occurred when two missiles fired against Palestinian militants near the family's tin-hut home detonated explosive devices carried by the militants, causing a "secondary explosion" that killed the civilians. Hamas maintains that an IDF tank fired a shell that killed the family.

Speaking at the opening of a cabinet meeting, Olmert hinted at his own position regarding widespread speculation over an imminent truce with Hamas. "I hope that the brutal fight of the terrorist organizations against Israel will end. But so long as their fight continues, we will be forced to fight them," he said.
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"Our sorrows are true and more real than the fake remorse of the terrorist organizations that expose their citizens to such injuries".

Olmert noted that in the last few days Qassam rockets and mortar shellshave been fired non-stop from Gaza into the Negev. On Tuesday morning, nine Qassam rockets and six mortar shells fired from Gaza slammed into the western Negev, causing damage at three different locations, but no injuries. One of the Qassams directly hit an unoccupied house in Sderot. There were no injuries in the attack, but a few people were treated for shock.

"It is a miracle that Israeli citizens were not injured in Sderot," Olmert said. "The terrorist organization's activity against Israel's people is incessant and Israel's battle against them is unavoidable if we want to protect Israeli citizens.

"On Monday, as the Israeli Defense Forces attempted to protect our citizens, a mother and her four children were killed. Israel feels deep remorse for this tragic event. The exact nature of these circumstances is still unclear to us. The IDF will carry out an investigation and will publicize its findings."

The incident began when Givati Brigade infantrymen, accompanied by combat engineers and armored units, entered an area near Beit Hanun to clear the area of militants firing Qassam rockets against communities in the Negev. During the operation, the Givati troops and Palestinian militants exchanged fire, and at one stage IDF observation equipment identified two Palestinians firing at the soldiers. The IDF said that an aircraft fired a missile against the gunmen, and a hit was confirmed.

The Palestinians counter that an Israeli tank fired at the family's home, even though the gunmen were not nearby. They say that the shell hit the home of the Abu Muatak family as they ate breakfast, killing the mother Miyasar and her four children: Salah, 4, Musad, 18 months, Hanaa, 3, and Rudeynah, 6. The Palestinians say that the blast also killed a gunman near the house, who is believed to have been a member of Islamic Jihad.

Olmert told the cabinet "We feel great remorse for every single citizen that is hurt, but we are also saddened by the fact that Israeli citizens have been getting injured for years. We feel remorse when a boy from Sderot must have his leg amputated. We feel remorse that Israeli citizens have had to live under a ceaseless terrorist threat for numerous years, a threat that has disrupted their lives.

"It saddens us that they have turned their people into an inseparable part of the war," Olmert continued, referring to Hamas, which he said "exposes Gazan citizens to what is sometimes an unavoidable possibility, that they will be injured as a result of the Israeli need to defend its public."

Israeli Arab MK Ahmed Tibi, who was quoted Monday as saying Defense Minister Ehud Barak bore direct responsibility for the Gaza deaths, dismissed Olmert's expression of remorse as "meaningless."

The prime minister's remarks were but "a typical Israeli response," Tibi said.

Related articles:
  • Qassam hits Sderot home; residents treated for shock
  • Woman killed, two wounded in Qassam rocket strike on Sderot
  • IDF: Gaza blast was caused by militants' explosives
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      1.   Let us be honest, please... 02:58  |  Military Advicer 29/04/08
      2.   Let us be honest, please... 02:58  |  Military Advicer 29/04/08
      3.   You should when it still stands 03:09  |  Mohamed 29/04/08
      4.   The PCHR proves the IDF is right 03:49  |  Elder of Ziyon 29/04/08
      5.   "Advicers" should be wiser 03:55  |  Hussein 29/04/08
      6.   Look ar this picture of Rachel Corrie 03:56  |  Johnny 29/04/08
      7.   Crystal Clear 04:10  |  Tom 29/04/08
      8.   one tank shell,two or three explosions...you be the judge 04:13  |  Jon 29/04/08
      9.   A pathetic and implausible lie 04:18  |  Rowan 29/04/08
      10.   Because the damage gives them political gain 04:29  |  IsraFan 29/04/08
      11.   إسرائيل يقتل [سفيلنس] يوميّة 04:31  |  محمّد 29/04/08
      12.   Does IDF ever accept responsibility for its actions? 04:33  |  Kay 29/04/08
      13.   Sooo let me get this straight..... 04:41  |  Johnboy 29/04/08
      14.   while i feel sorry for this family 05:06  |  larzbeach 29/04/08
      15.   Disgusting 05:10  |  beijing0808 29/04/08
      16.   Here WE Go Again, Hamas trying to Shift Blame, 05:15  |  Doc Holliday 29/04/08
      17.   Murderous Israel 05:47  |  Nathan Rai 29/04/08
      18.   Beijing0808 05:49  |  Edifice 29/04/08
      19.   Tom, what is "Crystal Clear" is that you have no sense of Arab... 06:05  |  Akiva P 29/04/08
      20.   Johnboy, can you get anything "straight"? 06:11  |  Akiva P 29/04/08
      21.   question to all 06:11  |  vik 29/04/08
      22.   إسرائيل يقتل [سفيلنس] يوميّة,,say what? 06:15  |  Akiva P 29/04/08
      23.   The Associated Press has reported the contents of the bags of 06:16  |  Albert 29/04/08
      24.   Everybooty see post 14 by doc holliday 06:21  |  Mikey 29/04/08
      25.   Making friends and influencing people 06:30  |  Morris Valentine 29/04/08
      26.   As usual 06:44  |  Varghese 29/04/08
      27.   Hamas, you are murdering your own 07:09  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/04/08
      28.   So tell me... 07:09  |  Ralf Obermeier 29/04/08
      29.   you lying zionist can lie all you want 07:10  |  get a clue 29/04/08
      30.   Hamas are liars and always have been,always playing to the public 07:14  |  Shepherd 29/04/08
      31.   Hamas are liars and always have been,always playing to the public 07:14  |  Shepherd 29/04/08
      32.   Hamas is a legitimate resistance to the Jewish occupation 07:21  |  lydia 29/04/08
      33.   the truth is out there 07:25  |  rm 29/04/08
      34.   relieve 07:37  |  rm 29/04/08
      35.   tired of this... 07:37  |  food man 29/04/08
      36.   Blame 07:46  |  Steve 29/04/08
      37.   I reported all this to all news agencies, saw it with my own eyes 07:56  |  Ali-AP Reporter 29/04/08
      38.   The Palestinians should stop with their whining 07:56  |  Rafi 29/04/08
      39.   Jew haters are having a field day today 08:02  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/04/08
      40.   What`s wrong with this picture? 08:04  |  howiej 29/04/08
      41.   Here Is The latest And Greatest From The BBC Version Of Events 08:05  |  Eli 29/04/08
      42.   Israeli`s defend the indefensible... 08:18  |  Paulo 29/04/08
      43.   # 1 let us be honest please, dear military advicer 08:27  |  eric 29/04/08
      44.   # 7 to tom 08:30  |  eric 29/04/08
      45.   Typical Palestinian Response: 08:38  |  R 29/04/08
      46.   Do the Arabs of Gaza prefer terrorism? 08:42  |  Jean Van Daem 29/04/08
      47.   # 8 wake up jon 08:44  |  eric 29/04/08
      48.   Thus said Barak... 08:52  |  Esther 29/04/08
      49.   #5 Hussein - Israeli lives are more important 09:06  |  Yaron 29/04/08
      50.   Hussein #5 - Not so 09:10  |  Elihu 29/04/08
      51.   #20 Akiva P might want to review the evidence again... 09:17  |  Johnboy 29/04/08
      52.   Hamas deliberately endangers innocent children 09:21  |  Michael J 29/04/08
      53.   Morris Valentine #25 - My hat off to you! Chapeau! 09:25  |  S 29/04/08
      54.   #16 You need to read more widely, Doc 09:38  |  Johnboy 29/04/08
      55.   Yaron #30 - No, that`s not right, either 09:51  |  Elihu 29/04/08
      56.   # 27 -rm faulty logic by "some" 10:04  |  Elihu 29/04/08
      57.   All those hours Zionists spend on Holocaust studies not wasted 10:05  |  Chanalau, Tova 29/04/08
      58.   HAMAS ! YOU SHUT UP 10:06  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 29/04/08
      59.   Souless, Filthy, IDF 10:06  |  Palestinian in UK 29/04/08
      60.   Kay # 12. 10:14  |  David Nigel Braham 29/04/08
      61.   Palywood maybe? 10:25  |  MR 29/04/08
      62.   FIGHTS HAVE GREAT KNOWLEDGE BUT CHARACTER 10:30  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 29/04/08
      63.   Couple Months Ago They Were Throwing FROM ROOF TOPS 10:49  |  Levi 29/04/08
      64.   #58, Atilla, good advice 10:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/04/08
      65.   It`s difficult to believe the IDF any more. 11:03  |  Michael 29/04/08
      66.   Explosive Backpack 11:12  |  Stan 29/04/08
      67.   #40 It is poor editing by Haaretz, howiej 11:20  |  Johnboy 29/04/08
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