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Last update - 02:11 30/04/2008 IDF insists Gaza mother, four children killed by militants' explosives, not shell By Amos Harel, Yuval Azoulay and Barak Ravid Tags: Israel Defense Forces  The security cabinet will meet Wednesday to hear a report from the IDF on the findings of its investigation into the incident Monday in which a mother and four of her children were killed during an operation in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. The IDF decided to initiate a probe into Monday's killing in order to verify the cause of the blast that killed the Palestinian family. Assigned to lead the investigation is the colonel in charge of the artillery units in the Southern Command. Major General Yoav Galant, the head of Southern Command and Air Force head Major General Eliezer Shkedi, decided Monday to initiate the probe due to the Palestinian claims - which received significant coverage in the international media - that the five family members were killed by a missile fired by an IAF aircraft. Speaking at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed "deep remorse" at the deaths, but did not apologize. Advertisement "This is a tragic event, that Israel deeply regrets. However, we do not yet know the exact circumstances. The IDF will investigate and release the exact findings." Olmert also said that "our sorrow is sincere and more real than the fake remorse of the terrorist organizations that expose their citizens to such injuries." The prime minister added: "We are sorry that Israeli citizens have been injured for many years. We are sorry for a boy whose leg was amputated just a few weeks ago by a Qassam rocket. We are sorry for many citizens who have lived for years under the ceaseless threat of rockets and acts of terror that disrupt their lives. The IDF has denied the Palestinian claims and argued that the missile had been fired at two Palestinian gunmen who stood near the family's home - a hut made of tin sidings. The army says that it is likely the two militants carried explosives which were detonated by the blast of the missile, resulting in the destruction of the house. The probe is based on two main sources of information: a video recording taken by a drone overflying the area, which is believed to show, albeit not very clearly, that after the missile strike another explosion ensued, probably from explosives carried by the gunmen; and the testimony of air force and Givati Brigade officers. The Givati officers, members of the brigade's reconnaissance battalion, were on the ground in proximity to the area where the blast occurred. They called in the air strike against the gunmen. However, military sources admitted Tuesday that the evidence available is limited; in part because the IDF is not in control of the area where the incident occurred and is therefore unable to collect physical evidence that can prove whether a secondary explosion occurred after the missile struck. Defense Minister Ehud Barak reiterated statements made Monday, in which he placed the blame for the death of the five civilians on Hamas. "Hamas is responsible for the violence in the Gaza Strip. The way it operates endangers innocent civilians." He also said that Israel and Hamas are not closer to a cease-fire agreement. "I think we are now in a confrontation with Hamas. This seems to be more accurate than the likelihood of a hudna [cease-fire]." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Shimon goes green Peres says to fight terror Israel should reduce its dependence on oil. Voices of heroism IDF releases audio recordings from famed 1976 Entebbe raid.   1.   Apology? 03:01  |  jjvanka 30/04/08   2.   The Way I see It Haaretz. 04:22  |  Cool B 30/04/08   3.   Israel-haters:"Move along, nothing to see here" 04:50  |  Free Gilad Shalit 30/04/08   4.   RELEASE THE VIDEO 05:47  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/04/08   5.   A simple question that needs to be asked.... 06:25  |  Johnboy 30/04/08   6.   Pal Children Forced To Share Party Walls With Amateur Bomb Makers 06:32  |  Lavi 30/04/08   7.   I told you this yesterday, and there are other witnesses 06:47  |  Ali-AP Reporter 30/04/08   8.   5 Ali - Release Your Video, too 07:22  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/04/08   9.   AP reporter 07:42  |  Shosha 30/04/08   10.   Pal Children Forced To Share Party Walls With Amateur Bomb Makers 07:59  |  Lavi 30/04/08   11.   #4 Jihadboy 08:12  |  Norman 30/04/08   12.   Johnboy - not good with numbers 10:23  |  Rafterman 30/04/08   13.   Immoral IDF 11:12  |  Marwan 30/04/08   14.   A good question that needs to be asked... 12:27  |  Joe Sittizen 30/04/08   15.   Cool B: Why Anyone Believes You 13:56  |  Tex 30/04/08   16.   IDF investigates self & is innocent!!! 14:54  |  Michael 30/04/08   17.   #5, johnboy, how come you never question... 15:02  |  DR 30/04/08   18.   #12 - Good point Rafterman 15:05  |  JES 30/04/08   19.   #16 - Michael 15:10  |  JES 30/04/08   20.   Johnboy`s simple question 16:09  |  Free Gilad Shalit 30/04/08   21.   #15 Tex 16:42  |  Cool B 30/04/08   22.   Cool B: Israel Has Been Around For 60 Years 18:53  |  Tex 30/04/08   23.   Sorry for them and us!!!!!!!!!!! 20:07  |  Erez 30/04/08   24.   #2 Cool B 21:48  |  DR 30/04/08   25.   Cool B has a second grade education! 22:42  |  DR 30/04/08   26.   #13 Tosefta aka Muslim,ake Allah u ..aka Marwan etc 02:17  |  Go home 01/05/08   27.   #20 An impressive non-answer, FGS 04:20  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   28.   #17 Another impressive non-answer, DR 04:26  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   29.   To Go home 04:31  |  Oleg 01/05/08   30.   "Immoral IDF"/Marwan 05:11  |  Gary 01/05/08   31.   Thats right Tex 05:12  |  Denise 01/05/08   32.   #14 Btselem has your answers, Joe Sittizen 05:22  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   33.   #16 And it`s not just that the IDF investigates itself, Michael. 05:33  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   34.   Tex: and how much longer, one wonders...? 05:50  |  Silvienne 01/05/08   35.   more lies from the arpathied state 08:59  |  SJ 01/05/08   36.   #32 - Johnboy 09:49  |  JES 01/05/08   37.   #18 2nd try to reply to a deeply ignorant JES 11:29  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   38.   #12 Rafterman, not good with facts 11:47  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   39.   #36 Btselem knows, JES 12:08  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   40.   IDF LIARs 12:21  |  Sean 01/05/08   41.   #37 - And again... 12:27  |  JES 01/05/08   42.   #41 JES sticks his fingers in his ears..... 12:49  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   43.   #41 I`ll think I`ll just pocket this post of yours JES 13:14  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   44.   #41 Further confirmation here, JES 13:30  |  Johnboy 01/05/08   45.   #42 - Johnboy 15:39  |  JES 01/05/08   46.   #40, Sean and #28 Johnboy 16:31  |  DR 01/05/08   47.   #40, Sean... 16:57  |  Silvienne 01/05/08   48.   #45 No JES, you go wrong here... 02:21  |  Johnboy 02/05/08   49.   #45 Wrong here too JES 02:25  |  Johnboy 02/05/08   50.   #46 DR - Talk about missing the point! 02:35  |  Johnboy 02/05/08   51.   I lit a match next to gasoline. 03:13  |  Michael 02/05/08   52.   Post this video so all can see it, please. 03:40  |  Nechama 02/05/08   53.   idf killers No46 DR 04:06  |  Sean 02/05/08   54.   #53 He is a moron, Sean. It is as simple as that. 05:34  |  Johnboy 02/05/08   55.   #47 No, no surprises here, Silvienne 05:47  |  Johnboy 02/05/08   56.   Like the Qana video maybe? 06:21  |  Marilyn 02/05/08   57.   DR...time to move to Israel? 06:33  |  Silvienne 02/05/08   58.   #40 - Sorry, Sean 07:05  |  JES 02/05/08   59.   Johnboy the liar.Again. 07:14  |  Canadian 02/05/08   60.   #57 Silvienne 07:55  |  Curious 02/05/08   61.   #48, 49 - Johnboy 07:58  |  JES 02/05/08   62.   Johnboy - Was IDF attacking militants 09:49  |  Reid 02/05/08   63.   Silvienne - You don`t anything about Intl Law 09:58  |  Reid 02/05/08   64.   Israelis weapons don`t kill 11:11  |  Manolo 02/05/08   65.   #59 Canadian - U R As Dim As. 14:21  |  Johnboy 02/05/08   66.   #61 Detecting whitewashes made simple, JES 14:40  |  Johnboy 02/05/08   67.   johnboy proportionality 16:38  |  odles 02/05/08   68.   #60, curious calls me a hero--how nice! 17:29  |  Silvienne 02/05/08   69.   #58, JES... 17:30  |  Silvienne 02/05/08   70.   #63, Reid... 17:37  |  Silvienne 02/05/08   71.   Exploding backpacks!! Oh, really.... 17:39  |  Silvienne 02/05/08   72.   #60 Curious - Don`t confuse Silly Vain with facts 02:53  |  * BEN JABO 03/05/08   73.   Ben Jabo, here`s the thing... 06:20  |  Silvienne 03/05/08   74.   #66 - True to form... 07:15  |  JES 03/05/08   75.   Ben Jabo 07:36  |  curious 03/05/08   76.   #74, JES... 07:40  |  Silvienne 03/05/08   77.   #71 Silly Vain Oh yeah, REALLY 07:48  |  * BEN JABO 03/05/08   78.   #73 Silvienne 07:55  |  curious 03/05/08   79.   #76 - Silvienne 08:05  |  JES 03/05/08   80.   #68 Silvienne again 08:09  |  Curious even more 03/05/08   81.   #73 Silly Vain 08:20  |  * BEN JABO 03/05/08   82.   #66 - Johnboy`s "whitewash" fallicy (Part I) 08:58  |  JES 03/05/08   83.   #66 - Johnboy`s "whitewash" fallicy (Part II) 08:59  |  JES 03/05/08   84.   #78, curious, mind your own business... 03:16  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   85.   #79, JES... 03:20  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   86.   Ben Jabo, you didn`t answer my question, did you? 03:24  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   87.   Benny Morris and what Silvienne Omitted 03:34  |  GZLives 04/05/08   88.   Benny Morris and what Silvienne Omitted 2 03:35  |  GZLives 04/05/08   89.   Benny Morris and what Silvienne Omitted 3 03:37  |  GZLives 04/05/08   90.   #GZLives...and spare me the three posts... 05:04  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   91.   #85 - Silvienne 06:11  |  JES 04/05/08   92.   Ben Jabo, so you won`t answer my question in #73? 06:14  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   93.   #90 - But you see Silvienne, 06:17  |  JES 04/05/08   94.   JES, remember what you once told me... 06:27  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   95.   #86 Silly Vain - be specific, which question? 07:00  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/08   96.   #90 Silly Vain 07:23  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/08   97.   #90 GZ lives 07:26  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/08   98.   Ben Jabo, where`s your response to #73? 07:34  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   99.   # 73 Silly Vain 08:05  |  *BEN JABO 04/05/08   100.   #94 - Yes, so....? 08:10  |  JES 04/05/08   101.   #99, Ben Jabo...now you sound just like me 10:21  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   102.   #100, Jes, I never said it did, now did I? 10:23  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   103.   #90, Jes... 10:24  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   104.   #95, Ben Jabo...this question 10:28  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   105.   #97, Ben Jabo...so Benny Morris wrote "horse pucky"? 10:30  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   106.   #73, Ben Jabo...nice excuse not to reply... 10:32  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   107.   #96, Ben Jabo... 10:34  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   108.   #95, Ben Jabo..this question- 2ND TRY 11:37  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   109.   GZLives.....you know what... 11:40  |  Silvienne 04/05/08   110.   #107 Silly Vain - Since you brought Morris into it 13:02  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/08   111.   #103 - Silvienne... 13:24  |  JES 04/05/08   112.   #110 - Ben Jabo 13:48  |  JES 04/05/08   113.   #104 Silly Vain - I`ve already responded twice 18:59  |  * BEN JABO 04/05/08   114.   #113, Ben Jabo, that is not an answer, you are sidestepping 01:38  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   115.   #110, Ben Jabo, then you disagree with Jes 01:39  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   116.   #110, Ben Jabo, then you disagree with Jes 01:39  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   117.   #111, Jes, but don`t you see? 01:41  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   118.   #114 Silly Vain 03:52  |  * BEN JABO 05/05/08   119.   #115 Silly Vain - You made a solemn promise 03:54  |  * BEN JABO 05/05/08   120.   #117 06:47  |  JES 05/05/08   121.   #112 JES - re: Benny Morris 07:40  |  * BEN JABO 05/05/08   122.   #119, Now, now, Ben Jabo... 16:53  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   123.   #121, JES...Karsh 16:57  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   124.   #121, Ben Jabo... 16:59  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   125.   #124 Silly Vain You`re tilting at windmills 18:20  |  * BEN JABO 05/05/08   126.   #124 Silly Vain 18:32  |  * BEN JABO 05/05/08   127.   Ben Jabo... 23:37  |  Silvienne 05/05/08   128.   #127 3RD TRY SILLY VAIN 08:23  |  * BEN JABO 06/05/08   129.   #128, Ben Jabo...you misunderstood what I meant... 17:10  |  Silvienne 06/05/08   130.   #129 Silly Vain 2 of 3 for today 17:26  |  * BEN JABO 06/05/08

Read & React Erekat: No progress in Monday's talks, key issues still contested Responses: 71 Moshe Arens: Is Olmert pushing for peace at any price? Responses: 51 Daphna Golan: When will we listen to the Palestinians' suffering? Responses: 85 Soldier killed in Lebanon War 'finally promoted to rank of Jew' Responses: 47 More Headlines 17:31 State: Olmert probe gag to remain until after Independence Day 16:09 Barak: Probe will not affect Olmert's political decisions 14:24 Polish police: Kuwaiti envoy's son held 3 Jewish teens captive 12:30 Erekat: No progress in Monday's talks, key issues still contested 15:41 Palestinian forces kill bystander in clash with Jenin gunmen 15:48 Israel to honor fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks 17:21 Police quiz Druze protesters over possible Memorial Day protests 10:12 Soldier killed in Lebanon War 'finally promoted to rank of Jew' 16:47 Israel at 60: Population nears 7.3 million, 76% Jewish 13:56 IAF airstrike kills Hamas gunman in northern Gaza mortar squad 15:45 Serial arsonist who hit 3 synagogues may have struck again 05:34 Boy's death in Lod fire may have been part of domestic dispute 11:32 1948 Diaries: Former Jordanian POW recalls Gush Etzion defeat Previous Editions Select Day 05 may 04 may 02 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr 25 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr

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