Ghalia family lost six members in shelling, in 2005 they lost four

[Violet_Crumble]

The hardest hit in the Israel Defense Forces artillery strike on a Gaza beach Friday was the Ghalia family, which lost six members, among them the father, one of his two wives, an infant boy and an 18-month-old girl.

Less than two years ago, four members of the family were killed when IDF shell hit the family farm in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia. The military had been targeting the area in response to Palestinian mortar fire.

Ali Ghalia, a Palestinian farmer, had taken his two wives and nine children on a trip to the beach, and the family was enjoying a picnic when the IDF artillery shell hit them.

"This was his first day at the beach this summer. He was taking his kids to play. It's destiny," said Nasreen Ghalia, a sister-in-law of the father.

She said one of the survivors was a 7-year-old girl, Hadeel, who still did not know she had lost her parents and siblings. The family ordered visitors not to break the news to the girl.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/725139.html

[ThomCat]

1. This is what I don't understand

about knee-jerk support for Isreal. What possible defense is there for this?

[BayCityProgressive]

2. there is no defense

the loss of civilian life is completely tragic. However, it happens on the Israeli side as well. In all military situations civilians, by accident or on purpose will alwyas be hurt or killed and I feel for innocent people on both side. I am on the side of Israel but that doesn't mean we who side with Israel aren't saddened by this loss of life.

[Englander]

4. Palestinian gunboats are shelling Tel Aviv?

Who knew?

[Englander]

5. Just blame it on the victim, the idf is;

IDF: Palestinian bomb, dud may be behind Gaza incident

(VIDEO) Southern Command Chief Yoav Galant says ‘we did not open fire toward area, so it may have been a stray artillery shell’; adds: We must also look into possibility that blast may have been caused by Palestinians who set off bomb or dud.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3260958,00.html

[Tom Joad]

3. Israel has fired more than 5,100 shells into the Gaza strip

[Englander]

6. From Haaretz;

'Seconds after the shells landed, Huda had nothing to do but look for her parents' bodies

By Avi Issacharoff

Every Israeli is familiar with the images: A beach filled with men, women and children on a sunny weekend or vacation day. Families eating together on blankets. Some people are sunning themselves, while others are splashing in the surf. Children are playing with plastic pails and shovels.

All that changed at the Gaza Beit Lahia beach. At about 5:15 P.M. on Friday, the first blast was heard, followed by another and another. Shells fell, from the sky or maybe from the sea. It was quiet for a few seconds, and then the picture changed completely. Dozens of torn and bleeding people lay on the sand, some screaming for help and attempting to reach their cars before more shells fell. Seven people, all members of the Ghalia family, suddenly were no longer among the living.

Each family gathered up its wounded and tried to flee.

"I carried my brother Ahmed on my back for about 100 meters, until we reached the car," Hamza Abu Rabia, 26, related. He was at the beach with his wife, their two children, his two brothers and their wives and children, and his mother.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/725196.html

[Scurrilous]

7. Gaza victims fight for life in Israeli hospitals

Ilham Ralia in serious condition in Tel Aviv's Sourasky Medical Center, connected to respirator; her brother Adham in serious condition in Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva; seven of their family members, including father, four siblings died in shelling strike on Friday

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3261374,00.html

<snip>

"The condition of two Palestinian siblings hospitalized in Israel for injuries sustained in a shelling strike on a Gaza beach on Friday remains critical, doctors said.

Elham Ralia, 21, is connected to a respirator at Tel Aviv's Sourasky Medical Center, where doctors said she remains in critical condition.

Her brother Adham, 12, is serious but stable condition at the Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheba. He is unconscious and connected to a respirator.

His uncle Attiyeh told Ynet: "I heard from his mother that the shell fell while they were in the water. We the Palestinians are stuck in the middle between the Israelis and terror groups. I am not angry. From my land no Qassams have been fired and if the do I'll take their eyes out. If you want to fire Qassams don't come to my house, fire from your house."