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Last update - 18:34 02/05/2008
IDF releases clip clearing itself of blame for Gaza family deaths
By Haaertz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel, IDF, Gaza, Gunman

The Israel Defense Forces on Friday released a video exonerating itself of responsibility for the deaths of Palestinian woman and her four children in Beit Hanun on Monday, which the clip shows were caused by the detonation of explosives carried by a Gaza militant hit in an Israel Air Force strike.

Israel and Hamas have exchanged accusations since the incident over blame for the civilians' deaths in the northern Gaza Strip town.


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According to the IDF panel investigating the deaths, the target of the IAF strike on Monday was a group of four Palestinian gunmen which had been identified.

IDF Spokesperson's Office said the panel concluded that, "one gunman was targeted and hit from the air. As a result a strong secondary explosion occurred" when ammunition and weaponry he was carrying in a back pack was detonated.

This "secondary" blast was what killed the mother and her four small children, according to the Spokesperson's Office statement, which continued: "The second gunman was targeted and hit as well, causing an even bigger explosion ... Both explosions were significantly stronger than those caused by the IDF attacks against them."

Four militants, armed with weapons, are clearly seen walking near the home in the clip.

The video formed the principal evidence for the panel, which was appointed by GOC Southern Command Major General Yoav Galant.

Army spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovitz, said the militants were going out to battle in the middle of residential neighborhood.

An Israeli human rights group had called for a criminal probe, saying the military appeared to have violated international law by firing close to the family's home.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert 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."


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  • IDF insists Gaza mother, four children killed by militants' explosives, not shell
  • We are also to blame
  • ANALYSIS / IDF behaving as if there is no truce on horizon
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      1.   What else can Jews expect from the world but condemnation? 17:20  |  Robert Blum 02/05/08
      2.   Hamas 17:23  |  "Palestinian" Jew 02/05/08
      3.   Secondary exploison? We have heard this excuse before. 17:29  |  Natallie Durson 02/05/08
      4.   Soon will see the usual "the Jews fabricated it" 17:29  |  Mark Anthony 02/05/08
      5.   IDF Clip/Palestinian Duplicity? 17:30  |  Barry Lynn 02/05/08
      6.   "it was Israels fault......." 17:31  |  sam 02/05/08
      7.   Yeah Israel is sooooo innocent. 17:35  |  B-Real from Cyp-Hill 02/05/08
      8.   Thank you 17:40  |  Mr Ipp 02/05/08
      9.   show us the footage! 17:40  |  Ernst 02/05/08
      10.   and Elvis lives on Mars 17:42  |  Joshua 02/05/08
      11.   of course. as ever. 17:43  |  frenz 02/05/08
      12.   PA liars 17:52  |  Prof David 02/05/08
      13.   Just as soon as the video is made available 17:56  |  * BEN JABO 02/05/08
      14.   Oh, well, what else did we expect? 17:57  |  Silvienne 02/05/08
      15.   Even an idiot can see it is a lie 17:58  |  El-Birawi 02/05/08
      16.   Hamas is to blame. 18:10  |  David Nigel Braham 02/05/08
      17.   IKF killed 18:12  |  Dav 02/05/08
      18.   Why bother? 18:13  |  leo 02/05/08
      19.   That IDF clip proves nothing 18:18  |  hollingsworth 02/05/08
      20.   Gaza Family Deaths . 18:22  |  HAL 02/05/08
      21.   Yes I still blame Israel ! 18:27  |  Proud Terrorist 02/05/08
      22.   jews do not deliberately harm 18:27  |  harzion 02/05/08
      23.   Not that this will make any difference... 18:27  |  Elihu 02/05/08
      24.   #1 You are right Mark But, 18:41  |  Robert/Montreal 02/05/08
      25.   To Clickfool: Who is guilty 18:41  |  Altalena 02/05/08
      26.   Sorry to disappoint the Jew haters... 18:48  |  Avi 02/05/08
      27.   #3 joshua 18:56  |  andrew kosow 02/05/08
      28.   Haters of Israel: Apologize! 18:57  |  Michael 02/05/08
      29.   so unexpected 18:59  |  h l 02/05/08
      30.   Clickfool, Dutch Dick and Natallie: want to retract anything? 19:00  |  Burt 02/05/08
      31.   I don`t believe that the movie was fabricated, BUT...... 19:01  |  Swiss (Dino) 02/05/08
      32.   Still does not absolve Israel of the blame 19:06  |  Eyal 02/05/08
      33.   i fixed the tapes in mom`s basement 19:07  |  * BEN JABO 02/05/08
      34.   Right Joshua 19:08  |  Ali 02/05/08
      35.   Palestinians: Be Proud of Your Heroes 19:10  |  Michael 02/05/08
      36.   Real International Law 19:14  |  MichaelF 02/05/08
      37.   To Mark Anthony 19:15  |  Jozef 02/05/08
      38.   What were they doing in Gaza? 19:18  |  Domingo 02/05/08
      39.   This is not a reliable conclusion 19:21  |  Tosefta 02/05/08
      40.   And...?? 19:23  |  Lie Detector 02/05/08
      41.   The Jews did it 19:31  |  Christian 02/05/08
      42.   Video Clip 19:32  |  J P Kim 02/05/08
      43.   Joshua: Say More 19:36  |  Binyamin 02/05/08
      44.   Avi`s premature declaration 19:36  |  Jim 02/05/08
      45.   #14 Swiss Dino 19:43  |  Jon 02/05/08
      46.   I apologize myself and on behalf of others who 19:46  |  Jaffar 02/05/08
      47.   #14 - Swiss(Dino) - A better answer and a better question. 19:49  |  JP 02/05/08
      48.   #7 ROBERT/MONTREAL 19:50  |  BigBadJohn 02/05/08
      49.   Journalistic integraty! 19:52  |  James 02/05/08
      50.   same old thing 20:00  |  Realistic Arab 02/05/08
      51.   Re: Swiss(Dino) 20:02  |  James 02/05/08
      52.   gaza 20:04  |  gaza 02/05/08
      53.   Dino Morality 101: A shoots at B, B shoots back hitting explosive 20:07  |  Rob 02/05/08
      54.   And Hamas said there were no armed men nearby at time... 20:11  |  I 02/05/08
      55.   Not so fast 20:14  |  Gray 02/05/08
      56.   Consider The Source 20:15  |  Cool B 02/05/08
      57.   Jim from Buffalo 20:15  |  toldyouso 02/05/08
      58.   @Jim: Which occupation??? 20:16  |  Amazed 02/05/08
      59.   #17 - Here`s the problem Jim 20:18  |  JES 02/05/08
      60.   This is not a reliable conclusion 20:18  |  Tosefta 02/05/08
      61.   Swiss (Dino) #14 but we do know the answers 20:28  |  Gee 02/05/08
      62.   Where is the IDF video? What does it actually show? 20:38  |  Michael 02/05/08
      63.   h l 12 20:39  |  ChanahS 02/05/08
      64.   #17 Jim ....I saw the clip 20:40  |  Lynn 02/05/08
      65.   Jim 17 20:42  |  ChanahS 02/05/08
      66.   Lies and videotape 20:43  |  fiona 02/05/08
      67.   # 14 Swiss...to answer, and it is really simple 20:45  |  Lynn 02/05/08
      68.   Really, Swiss... 20:46  |  Linichka 02/05/08
      69.   For Burt # 13 20:53  |  Clickfool 02/05/08
      70.   Swiss (Dino) #14 Why Hudna and not peace? 2nd try 20:54  |  David Israel 02/05/08
      71.   Jim, No occupying Israeli soldier. Pals carrying explosives to 20:57  |  I 02/05/08
      72.   Wrong decades ago, wrong now... 20:58  |  Gray 02/05/08