Children make up third of Gaza dead - medics

[ProgressiveMuslim]

GAZA CITY (AFP) - Almost a third of the nearly 700 Palestinians killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive are children, with most killed since the start of a ground offensive after a week of aerial bombardment, medics said on Wednesday.

The proportion of civilians killed has risen dramatically since Saturday when ground troops joined the assault on the Hamas rulers of Gaza after a week of aerial and naval bombardment.

A total of 220 children have been killed since Operation Cast Lead was unleashed on December 27, according to Gaza emergency services chief Moawiya Hassanein.

Humanitarian agencies fear civilian casualties will rise further as the battle moves into the most densely populated areas of Gaza, one of the most crowded places on Earth.

“Of increasing concern is the number of children and their families fleeing the fighting and bombardment or seeking refuge because their homes have been destroyed or damaged,” the Save the Children agency said on Wednesday.

Civilians have nowhere to flee from the conflict. The borders are sealed off under an 18-month-old Israeli blockade, and buildings designated by the United Nations as safe shelters have been hit by artillery shelling.

On Tuesday, at least 43 people sheltering at a school in northern Gaza were killed, according to emergency services.

The Israeli army said troops had apparently responded to mortar fire from within the school compound, but the UNRWA agency for Palestinian refugees which runs the school said it was “99.9 per cent sure” there were no fighters there.

Palestinians “are becoming more and more desperate as each day of attacks goes by,” said Martha Myers, CARE director for the Palestinian territories, after one of the agency’s food distribution workers was killed in an air strike on Tuesday night.

“This is further evidence that any attack, even a targeted one, will result in civilian casualties,” she said.

Israel says Hamas is to blame for all civilian deaths, claiming that fighters use women and children as human shields by firing rockets at Israel and attacking troops from densely populated areas, where they also store their weapons.

The United Nations has called Hamas attacks “indiscriminate” and the Israeli response “excessive,” and urged both sides to end the violence.


http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=13335

[ProgressiveMuslim]

1. Can we at leas stop pretending this is anything other than an all-out war on the people of Gaza?

[virginia mountainman]

2. What about the victims of..

Hamas's rockets in Israel???

I seem to recall rockets and mortar shells have been falling on Israel for quite some time before the present "unpleasantness".

It appears the only difference is that for the most part the Israelis can hit what they aim at, and the lawful government of Gaza can't hit shit.

[Marrah_G]

3. Okay.......

I think the number is 25 people in 7 years.

Yes, 25 people to many.

500+ people in a week, mostly civilian, by the Israeli military.

I hope you can agree that it is 500 too many.

There is no military solution to this.

[virginia mountainman]

4. I agree..

But, nothing changes the fact, that Hamas, has been trying for years to kill as many Israelis as possible, and that the Palestinian people, in their infinite wisdom elected them to be their government.

Israel has shown amazing restraint, over the past few years, with all the "Airborne Bullshit" coming from the Gaza strip.

The disparity of force did not matter to the Palestinians, if it did, they would not tolerate Hamas "messing with the Bull" of Israel.

My father used to say to me, Son, you mess with the Bull, long enogh...You will end up getting the horns, and you will have no one to blame but yourself..

[bunnies]

5. Israelis can hit what they aim at?

So they AIMED at 200+ children? oops!

[Christa]

7. I may be wrong

but so far 8 Israelis have died, 4 from friendly fire.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. I don't recall 220 dying, do you? Have any? nt

[virginia mountainman]

13. Don't matter...

The rocket fire continues, the random Mortar attacks continue..

It is not the Israelis fault the Hamas can't hit their own asses with both hands. It is not for the lack of trying, and their intent is clear..

To randomly kill as many Israelis as possible.

Until the Palestinians stop supporting Hamas, and stop with the shelling and rocket attacks, Israel has EVERY RIGHT to defend itself.

[madrchsod]

6. 700 to 11 kill ratio

700 palestinians -11 israeli soldiers and citizens. i wonder what it costs the israeli citizens for each palestinian death.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

9. Israeli life is priceless.

How many lebanese died to free 2 soldiers?

[Scurrilous]

10. There is an upside to this:

Gaza War Role Is Political Lift for Ex-Premier

<snip>

"A few weeks ago, Defense Minister Ehud Barak was considered a dead man walking in Israeli politics. Members of his Labor Party were plotting to replace him after elections on Feb. 10, if not before. Under his leadership, the storied party of David Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir had sunk so low in the polls that there was serious talk it might disappear.

No one is talking like that now. Twelve days into a punishing war that he is leading against Hamas in Gaza, Labor’s poll numbers are spiking. Mr. Barak is everywhere, in sunglasses and leather jacket, striding among his military commanders, talking strategy, calculating the next move.

"The respect I get when I go into schools since the war is amazing, and it is all about Barak," remarked Daniel Ben-Simon, a Labor Party candidate for Parliament. "Israel’s MacArthur is back."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/world/middleeast/08barak.html?em

[bunnies]

11. Mission Accomplished!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

12. Arguably that's a downside

Barak was the man who threw away the last chance for peace in the Middle East, at Camp David.

Him being replaced as Labour leader by someone who might genuinely try to make peace might well be more valuable than Labour gaining popularity in the short term.