Seven more killed as Israeli offensive forges ahead

RAFAH – Israeli troops killed seven Palestinians in this refugee camp yesterday, pushing on with their offensive despite an international outcry over the deaths of protesters by Israeli tank fire.

At least eight Palestinians, many of them children, were killed by Israeli fire Wednesday as they demonstrated against the military operation. Adding to world anger were the sight of bloodied children and reports of overwhelmed doctors treating dozens of wounded on blood-drenched hospital floors.Israel apologised for the deaths, saying its troops did not deliberately fire on marchers.It also blamed the Palestinians for allowing gunmen to mix with the civilian crowd.Palestinians denounced the incident as a massacre.The UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning the loss of life and Israel’s demolition of homes.The United States abstained, the first time in nearly two years that it didn’t exercise its veto on a resolution sharply critical of Israel.Brig. Gen. Ruth Yaron, the army’s chief spokeswoman, said yesterday that the offensive – the largest in Gaza in years – will continue until troops obliterate weapons-smuggling tunnels and round up militants along the Gaza-Egypt border.Early yesterday, an Israeli missile strike killed three militants in the Rafah camp.The army said the gunmen were approaching Israeli forces.Hours later, troops fired a tank shell and killed two militants near the border, Palestinian doctors said.Elsewhere, a hospital official said one man was killed and two wounded by gunfire in the camp.Dr. Ali Mousa, director of the Rafah hospital, said a 37-year-old man died from a gunshot wound to the head and two others, aged 22 and 29, were wounded.Relatives said the men were shot when they ventured onto the roof of their apartment building to check a water tank.Another body was brought to the hospital yesterday; it was not immediately known how the man died.The army said troops shot a gunman when he approached Israeli forces in Tel Sultan yesterday.His condition was unknown.With electricity and water supplies to the area cut off, local officials warned of a looming humanitarian crisis.Asharaf Ghonem of the Rafah water department said water from a well in Tel Sultan could not reach other parts of Rafah because there was no power.He said Israeli tanks had prevented workmen from repairing generators and asked the army to guarantee their safe passage.The army said it was working “24 hours a day” to facilitate humanitarian aid.- Nampa-APAdding to world anger were the sight of bloodied children and reports of overwhelmed doctors treating dozens of wounded on blood-drenched hospital floors.Israel apologised for the deaths, saying its troops did not deliberately fire on marchers.It also blamed the Palestinians for allowing gunmen to mix with the civilian crowd.Palestinians denounced the incident as a massacre.The UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning the loss of life and Israel’s demolition of homes.The United States abstained, the first time in nearly two years that it didn’t exercise its veto on a resolution sharply critical of Israel.Brig. Gen. Ruth Yaron, the army’s chief spokeswoman, said yesterday that the offensive – the largest in Gaza in years – will continue until troops obliterate weapons-smuggling tunnels and round up militants along the Gaza-Egypt border.Early yesterday, an Israeli missile strike killed three militants in the Rafah camp.The army said the gunmen were approaching Israeli forces.Hours later, troops fired a tank shell and killed two militants near the border, Palestinian doctors said.Elsewhere, a hospital official said one man was killed and two wounded by gunfire in the camp.Dr. Ali Mousa, director of the Rafah hospital, said a 37-year-old man died from a gunshot wound to the head and two others, aged 22 and 29, were wounded.Relatives said the men were shot when they ventured onto the roof of their apartment building to check a water tank.Another body was brought to the hospital yesterday; it was not immediately known how the man died.The army said troops shot a gunman when he approached Israeli forces in Tel Sultan yesterday.His condition was unknown.With electricity and water supplies to the area cut off, local officials warned of a looming humanitarian crisis.Asharaf Ghonem of the Rafah water department said water from a well in Tel Sultan could not reach other parts of Rafah because there was no power.He said Israeli tanks had prevented workmen from repairing generators and asked the army to guarantee their safe passage.The army said it was working “24 hours a day” to facilitate humanitarian aid.- Nampa-AP