[ 06/01/2009 - 05:21 PM ]

LONDON, (PIC)-

The British Times newspaper said that Israel rained Gaza with internationally-banned white phosphorus which may cause terrible burns to civilians.

In its issue published on Monday, the Times pointed out that the American and British occupation forces in Iraq used this weapon against civilians, but it said it is not illegal if used as a "smokescreen".

The newspaper added that the use of this weapon in Gaza, one of the world’s mostly densely populated areas, is likely to ignite yet more controversy over Israel’s offensive, in which more than 550 Palestinians were killed 2,300 others were wounded.

The Geneva Convention stipulates that white phosphorus should not be used as a weapon of war in civilian areas.

Palestinian eyewitnesses reported Monday evening that recent artillery shells used by the IOF troops in the bombardment of southeast of Gaza city and north of the Strip is a new kind of incendiary bombs never used in the Palestinian lands.

They added that the IOF troops fired white phosphorous bombs on civilian areas which caused serious burns to some Gaza citizens.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, declared that its fighters managed to shoot down an Israeli spy drone, adding that the plane was used to fire missiles and spy on targets in Gaza.

This is the second time Al-Qassam Brigades announced its success in shooting down an Israeli plane, while European sources affirmed that an Israeli helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing after it was hit by Palestinian fire.

The Brigades also said that it sniped four Israeli soldiers, targeted a tank and fired rockets on the Israeli Hatsor airbase and Nahal Oz military post.

Israeli media outlets reported that the Palestinian resistance was able on Monday night to fire three rockets on the Ashkelon settlement which is located in the coastal plain occupied in 1948, adding that the resistance managed on the same day to fire a total of 40 rockets on different Israeli targets

Israeli occupation forces bomb UNRWA school killing 45 civilians

[ 06/01/2009 - 08:53 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

An Israeli occupation terrorist forces air raid and artillery fire targeting the UN-run Al-Fakhoura school on Tuesday killed 45 Palestinian citizens including children and wounded 50 others some of whom were in serious conditions while three civilians were killed, Monday night, in a direct Israeli attack on another UNRWA school sheltering civilians.

According to the UNRWA, the victims in Monday night raid were among over four hundred people, who, earlier in the evening, had fled their homes in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza and had been given refuge in the UNRWA school.

These attacks raised the number of victims killed to more than 620 Palestinians and the wounded to about 2,750 since Israel started its aggression two weeks ago.

UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna strongly denounced Israel for targeting the school, describing what happened as a dangerous action.

Abu Hasna pointed out that Israel already know the locations of the UNRWA buildings, adding that there were flags fluttering over the school before it was bombed.

Earlier, Al-Jazeera satellite channel reported that the ambulance crews recovered on Tuesday bodies of 23 Palestinians killed during Israeli raids in different areas in Gaza.

The channel said that 10 Palestinian citizens were killed today as a result of the ongoing Israeli shelling which had started since the early morning hours.

The channel also talked about fierce confrontations between Palestinian resistance fighters and invading IOF troops near Beit Lahia in north Gaza.