This Gaza Invasion must be stopped!!!

[theblackhole]

Unconventional Weapons against The People of Gaza
Interview of Dr. Mads Gilbert


By Akram al-Sattari

Global Research, January 6, 2009
Press TV


This report confirms that these attacks are quite deliberately directed against civilians, using new unconventional weapons.

This is a carefully planned humanitarian catastrophe. How can anybody in their right mind support the actions of the Israeli government.

Read this interview with a distinguished and courageous Norwegian doctor.


Dr. Mads Gilbert

Here are some of the highlights.

"The Israelis are using a new type of very high explosive weapons which are called Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME) and are made out of a tungsten alloy. These weapons have an enormous power to explode."

"these weapons will have a cancer effect on those who survive. They will develop cancer we suspect."

"All that is happening in Gaza here now is against international law, it is against humanity"

"Almost all of the patients we have received have these sever amputations. They seem to have been affected by this kind of weapon. Of course, we have many fragment injuries and burns but those who have got their limbs cut off, constitutes quite a large proportion.

You know we have a lot to do. Palestinian doctors, nurses and paramedics do an incredibly heroic job to save their people. Doctor Eric and I are just a small drip in the ocean, but we learn from them."

And then decide where do you stand.

We stand with the people of Palestine whose lives are being destroyed.

We stand in solidarity with their struggle.

We stand for humanity against the US-Israeli war criminals.

Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, January 5, 2009



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Doctor Mads Gilbert is a member of a Norwegian triage medical team present in the besieged Gaza Strip. The team has exposed that Israel has used depleted uranium weapons in its war on the impoverished territory which is home to 1.5 million Palestinians. He described the conditions inside Gaza in an exclusive Press TV interview.

Press TV: What can you tell about the uranium findings?

Dr. Mads Gilbert:The findings about the uranium I cannot tell you much about, but I can tell you that we have clear evidence that the Israelis are using a new type of very high explosive weapons which are called Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME) and are made out of a tungsten alloy.

These weapons have an enormous power to explode.

The power of the explosion dissipates very quickly and the strength does not travel long, maybe 10 meters, but those humans who are hit by this explosion, this pressure wave are cut in pieces.

This was first used in Lebanon in 2006, it was used here in Gaza in 2006 and the injuries that we see in Shifa [Hospital] now, many many of them I suspect and we all suspect are the effect of DIME weapons used by the Israelis.

On the long term, these weapons will have a cancer effect on those who survive. They will develop cancer we suspect. There has been very little research on this but some research has been among other places in the United States, which show that these weapons have a high tendency to develop cancer. So they kill and those who survive risk having cancer.

Press TV: And what do you have to say about this?

Dr. Mads Gilbert: All that is happening in Gaza here now is against international law, it is against humanity and I think it is against what it means to be a decent person. You don't treat other people like this. Even if you disagree with him… maybe even if you fight with them, you don't treat civilians, children and women like this.

And I have an appeal to the Israeli doctors and nurses. They are my colleagues. We belong to the same international community, the medical community. I wish that the good doctors and nurses in Israel tell their government to stop these atrocities. We cannot continue with this. We may differ in opinions, but you cannot treat the civilian Palestinian population in Gaza in this way.

Today, they were bombing in Gaza City; we received 150 wounded and more than 50 killed.

Press TV: Only at Shifa?!

Dr. Mads Gilbert: Yes, here in Shifa. I treated a ten-year-old boy. He had his whole chest filled with fragments from the bomb. On his lap was another person's leg that had been cut off. We resuscitated him and did everything we could do to save his life but he died between our hands.

This is such a terrible experience and behind the numbers that you report all the time, there are human beings, families, women, grandmothers, children. That is in fact the reality in this situation. Those who are paying the price for the Israeli bombardments now are the common people, the Palestinian people.

Half of the population in Palestine are below 15 years and 80 percent of the people in Gaza live below the level of poverty defined by the UN. Now they don't have food, they don't have electricity. It's cold they don't have warmth and in addition to that, they are killed.

This must be stopped.

Press TV How many people did you see that are effected by this weapon?

Dr. Mads Gilbert: Almost all of the patients we have received have these sever amputations. They seem to have been affected by this kind of weapon. Of course, we have many fragment injuries and burns but those who have got their limbs cut off, constitutes quite a large proportion.

You know we have a lot to do. Palestinian doctors, nurses and paramedics do an incredibly heroic job to save their people. Doctor Eric and I are just a small drip in the ocean, but we learn from them. Unfortunately, we don't have the time to do research, we have to save lives, but this question should be researched by the international community.


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[theblackhole]

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- U.N. officials are "99.9 percent certain" there were no Palestinian militants in or on the grounds of a school that was shelled by Israeli forces, killing more than 40 people, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, disputed Israel's account of the bombardment of the northern Gaza school. But he said that if anyone could clear up the remaining uncertainty, "We would like them to come forward and be part of an impartial investigation."

The deaths have stoked international concerns about the Israeli campaign in Gaza, which showed little sign of letting up Wednesday.

The Israeli military said Hamas militants were firing mortars from the U.N. school in the northern Gaza town of Jabalya that was being used as a shelter by hundreds of civilians. It said a pair of prominent Hamas operatives -- Imad Abu Askhar and Hassan Abu Askhar -- were in the school.

Those operatives, described as heads of Hamas mortar-firing operations, were killed in the strike, the Israel Defense Forces said.

"We face a very delicate situation where the Hamas is using the citizens of Gaza as a protective vest," Brig. General Avi Benayahu, an IDF spokesman, said Tuesday.

'No safe haven' in Gaza, U.N. official says

But John Ging, UNRWA's director, has called for an independent investigation into the strike, which came a day after an airstrike killed three men at a second U.N. school in Gaza City.

He said all U.N. buildings in Gaza were "clearly marked" with U.N. flags, and UNRWA had given the global-positioning coordinates of all its schools to Israeli authorities, Ging said.

 

[theblackhole]

Hezbollah 'ready to fight Israel'


Nasrallah commended Hugo Chavez for expelling Israel's ambassador to Caracas [AFP]


Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has warned that "all possibilities" are open against Israel as he gave a fiery speech in which he blasted the Israel's offensive in Gaza and voiced support for Hamas.

Addressing tens of thousands of supporters via video link at his stronghold in Beirut's suburbs, Nasrallah said: "I say to [Ehud] Olmert [Israel's prime minister], the loser, the vanquished in Lebanon that 'you cannot overcome Hamas or Hezbollah'."

The comments by Nasrallah, whose Shia movement fought a devastating war with Israel in Lebanon in 2006, marked the first time he has spoken so openly on the possibility of a renewed conflict with Israel since the war in Gaza began on December 27.

Nasrallah warned that the 2006 conflict, in which about 1,200 mostly Lebanese civilians were killed, would be "but a walk in the park" compared to what awaits Israel if it launches a new offensive on Lebanon.

In his speech, which marked Muslim holy day of Ashura, Nasrallah said: "Your 2006 war will be but a walk in the park compared to what we have prepared for you in the event of a new offensive.

"We have to act as though all possibilities are real and open (against Israel) and we must always be ready for any eventuality."

"We are ready to sacrifice our souls, our brothers and sisters, our children, our loved ones for what we believe in."

Egypt attacked

The Hezbollah leader also reiterated past criticism of Egypt for failing to open its border with Gaza and blasted the United Nation Security Council for not acting to denounce the Israeli offensive that has left nearly 700 Palestinians dead.

"Does the government in Egypt need more than 650 victims and 2,500 wounded to open the Rafah crossing once and for all to help the people of Gaza toward victory?" Nasrallah said.

"I am simply asking for the opening of a crossing and not another front."

He also commended Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, for expelling Israel's ambassador to Caracas on Tuesday saying that all countries, including Arab states, must follow his example.

"Arab governments must learn from this great Latin American leader to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people and must cut relations with Israel," Nasrallah said.

Jordan, Egypt and Mauritania are the only Arab countries to have diplomatic relations with Israel.

 

[theblackhole]

School hit piles pressure on Israel


The UN says it regularly sends the Israeli army exact geographical coordinates of its facilities [AFP]

Israel is facing mounting pressure to agree a ceasefire, as fighting continues in the wake of an attack on a UN school in Gaza.

On Wednesday, 11 Palestinians were killed by air strikes and shelling in Gaza City and in the north of the Strip.

Explosions were also reported in Jabaliya and Beit Lahia, north of Gaza, as around eight rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel.

No Israeli injuries have been reported following the rocket attacks.

On Tuesday, the Israelis launched an attack on a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) in the northern town of Jabaliya.

The attack left 43 Palestinians dead and around 100 wounded.

Doctors said all the dead were either people sheltering in the school or residents of the nearby Jabaliya refugee camp.

'No safe havens'

Around 15,000 Palestinians have had to flee the fighting amid concern there are no safe havens in Gaza.

Israel says missiles were fired from the UN building and that their troops were simply returning fire on Palestinian fighters using the school as cover.

However, Michel Abdel Massih QC, a London-based international human rights lawyer, called for an independent investigation.

"If [Israeli] claims are to be tested properly we need an independent tribunal. The International Criminal Court was set up to deal with these issues, so there is a mechanism for the UN security council to refer the case for investigation," he told Al Jazeera.

Massih compared the 680 Palestinian casualties to 10 Israeli deaths and underlined that proportionality of use of force is central to international law.

"From an international law point of view, there is at very least a case to answer against the planners and those who executed those orders," he said.

John Ging, director of operations in Gaza for Unrwa, said they regularly provide the Israeli army with exact geographical co-ordinates of its facilities.

He also called for the Israelis to allow an international investigation into the incident.

'War crime' allegation

When asked if Tel Aviv would allow such an investigation, Mark Regev, spokesman for the Israeli prime minister, said Israel had already held an "initial investigation" which found that troops had returned fire from the UN building.

Regev accused Hamas, the Palestinian faction that controls the Gaza Strip, of committing a "war crime" by using those sheltering in the UN school as "a human shield".

War crimes: Key facts

The International Criminal Court says war crimes are defined as the violation of the laws and customs of war.

These include:

The murder, ill-treatment or deportation of civilian residents of an occupied territory.

The extensive destruction of cities, towns and villages, and any devastation not justified by military necessity.

The incident has provoked strong international condemnation with Ban-Ki-moon, secretary-general of the United Nations, branding both the incident and Hamas rocket attacks "unacceptable".

At least 683 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 3,085 wounded since the war began on December 27. Seven Israeli soldiers and three civilians have died in the same period.

Following increasing pressure to agree a ceasefire as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates further, Israel announced on Wednesday it would set up "humanitarian corridor" to ship vital supplies to the Strip.

From Wednesday, Israel says it will halt military operations near Gaza City for three hours daily to let aid through.

Heba, a Gaza resident and mother of two, told Al Jazeera there was no place left in Gaza that can be considered safe.

"What happened in the school was a hugely offensive and inhumane thing. We never expected that people who sought refuge in a UN building would be attacked and killed," she said.

Self-defence claim

Randa Seniora, from the Independent Commission on Human Rights, told Al Jazeera: "What is happening in Gaza are crimes against humanity.

"Israel cannot claim, as an occupying authority, that it is acting in self defence because simply it is considered a war crime to create harm and damage among civilian populations."

While earlier attempts to agree a ceasefire resolution at the UN have so far floundered, a French-Egypt proposal appeared to be gaining some support early on Wednesday.

The deal, which could include stationing international monitors at the Egyptian-Gaza border, has received qualified backing from the US and support from Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president and leader of Hamas-rival Fatah.

Despite this, Jacky Rowland, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in southern Israel, said the Israelis are thought to be considering stepping up their assault.

The Israeli security cabinet is due to meet later on Wednesday to debate whether troops should storm Gaza's urban centres, our correspondent reported.

 

[Ramseth]

First let me clarify that I'm not taking any side. I'm just commenting from a military point of view. The Israelis are not attacking Gaza to rescue Israeli or friendly hostages. The Palestinians, civilians or militants, are known to be supportive of Hamas. So at war as such, why any expectation to differentiate between civilian or military? (The political and historical background of who's right or wrong aside.) When suicidal terrorists strike, do they differentiate? They don't too.

War is war. The final resort in attempt to resolution of disputes. For example, if a country attacks Singapore, for whatever problem in dispute, can we blame them for killing civilians. Singapore has National Service. They can consider all Singaporeans to be soldiers or mothers/sisters/wives who support the soldiers to fight.

 

[theblackhole]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/01/200916123126787790.html

more children are dying....

 

[Cestbon]

Hope both side will fight till one side totally gone this time round. Done waste time meeting or negotiation. Just need to cut short the war if not will drag for 100 years also no ending.

 

[UseYourBrain]

So at war as such, why any expectation to differentiate between civilian or military?

War is war.

No wonder when the Japanese screwed all the chinese lady during the WWII, none of the chinese felt offended, they even collaborated work as translator and open brothel for the Japs soldier selling their own woman to survive.

Any way war is war. Dont blame the Japanese for doing that. They are just following war protocol

 

[allanlee]

No wonder when the Japanese screwed all the chinese lady during the WWII, none of the chinese felt offended, they even collaborated work as translator and open brothel for the Japs soldier selling their own woman to survive.

The Japs dun really like the chinese women...... they preferred the malays and eurasians.... the angmohs were reserved for the animals..... my grandfather and granduncles have many stories of the tortures that were meted out to the ang moh women.... including being tied up in public and forced to have sex with animals :(

 

[UseYourBrain]

The Japs dun really like the chinese women...... they preferred the malays and eurasians.... the angmohs were reserved for the animals..... my grandfather and granduncles have many stories of the tortures that were meted out to the ang moh women.... including being tied up in public and forced to have sex with animals :(

Your grandfather are just being polite. Simply do not want to upset you if you know your real grandfather is Yamashita Ichibawa...check your DNA to satisfy yourself

 

[Conan the Barbarian]

Where is Jack Bauer when we need him. He would have solved the problem in 24 hours.

 

[allanlee]

........ if you know your real grandfather is Yamashita Ichibawa...check your DNA to satisfy yourself

My DNA is on record at HSA ....... I'm a LEE so no relationship to this Yamashita........ the relationship between this Yamashita and my grandfather was that my grandfather interpreted for Yamashita's Kempeitei unit

 

[kiwibird7]

How is it that when HAMAS or HIZBOLLAH fire rockets indiscriminately into Israel's civilian centres with the sole purpose of causing civilian casualties, there is no hue and cry, no outrage, no calls for war crime trials etc? Both HAMAS and HIZBOLLAH have political structures and have taken part in 'democratic elections' and have leaders who should be made accountable by International standards.

Whoever fires the first shot should expect return fire and in war, casualties are inevitable be it civilians or military. Even friendly fire do occur in war. So before one fires the first shot, one should be prepared for the consequences.

Before the West casts their stones on Israel for using DIME weapons etc. They should look at themselves first. Many have stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Why have stockpiles unless one has intentions of using them ultimately?

 

[theblackhole]

After 14 days of massive destruction,atrocities and killings - 800 deaths and 3000 injured....a total humanitarian disaster and a city completely destroyed ....and now then....

UN passes Gaza ceasefire resolution

Arab delegates pushed for the vote to be held quickly, objecting to a further
24-hour delay [AFP]


The UN Security Council has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that Arab nations hope will put an end to Israel's 14-day assault on the territory.

The resolution, passed by the 15-member body on Thursday with 14 votes in favour and only the US abstaining, "stresses the urgency of and calls for an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza".

The resolution also called for arrangements in Gaza to prevent arms smuggling to Palestinian fighters and reopen border crossings.

It said there should be "unimpeded provision" and distribution of aid to the territory, where 778 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, said he was "heartened and relieved" by the passing of the resolution.

US abstention

The UN chief, who will visit the Middle East next week for talks on the crisis, said the UN "stands ready" and that a ceasefire would be a "first step", but that "a political way forward is required to deliver long-term security and peace".

The text was the product of days of tortuous negotiations between top diplomats from the United States, Britain and France and Arab states.

Arab countries, many facing strong anti-Israeli sentiment at home, insisted the Security Council must issue a binding resolution that would force Israel to end its military campaign in the Gaza Strip immediately.

Israel had opposed the idea of a binding UN resolution.

The United States had backed its ally Israel but diplomats said it dropped its objections and agreed to go along with a cautiously worded text.

The US abstained from voting for the resolution, but Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, said the United States supported the contents of the resolution.

"The United States thought it important to see the outcomes of the Egyptian mediation efforts in order to see what this resolution might have been supporting," she said.

Riyad al Maliki, the Palestinian foreign minister, sounded sceptical after the passage of the resolution and said it might not bring about an immediate end to the violence in Gaza.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said it would be naive to expect that Israel would implement the ceasefire call immediately. He said he feared that the Israelis would expand their Gaza offensive in the next few days, to hit more targets before any truce comes into effect.

"I do believe that we will witness in the next two days vicious attacks against the Palestinian people and more Palestinians being killed even after such resolution has been passed," al Maliki said.

'Partial victory'

Al Jazeera's Ghida Fakhry, reporting from the UN, said the resolution was only a partial victory for Arab leaders, who succeeded in pushing through a resolution when the US and other nations were keener on issuing a non-binding "presidential statement".


The Israeli assault on Gaza has killed 778 Palestinians and wounded thousands [AFP]


But they were also frustrated that an earlier Libya proposal was abandoned in favour for the US, UK and France resolution, our correspondent added.

Fakhry said it was "difficult to see how this [the resolution] is going to be enforced given the fact that the United States has decided to abstain thereby sending a clear signal that it will not do anything whatsoever to pressure its closest ally [Israel]".

Though the UN resolution is legally binding, it does not have any enforcement mechanism, and Israel has ignored dozens of UN resolutions over the years, our correspondent said.

It was also unclear whether Hamas would accept a text which does not mention the lifting of Israel's 18-month blockade on Gaza, which it has demanded, she added.

Delay rejected

Al Jazeera understands that the French delegation had asked for another 24 hours to work out the draft resolution, drawing a furious response from the Saudi delegation, who said that they would not wait any longer as civilians were dying by the minute.

An agreement was finally reached after Arab foreign ministers made some amendments to the draft sponsored by the US, UK and France, allowing them to get on board with the draft and drop their bid to support another draft resolution sponsored by Libya.

Libya, currently the only Arab nation serving as a non-permanent member of the security council, had been urging council members to back its own version of a resolution, although the US had blocked an earlier Libyan draft that Washington and its allies saw as being anti-Israeli.

 

[theblackhole]

RAFAH, Egypt (CNN) -- A senior Hamas official who had crossed the border into Egypt from Gaza said Thursday his fighters are "still strong" and vowed to continue fighting despite a continuing ground and air assault by Israel that has killed more than 700 people in the Palestinian territory.

Smoke billows from the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing following Israeli air strikes on January 8.

Speaking in Rafah, Egypt, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamid told CNN's Karl Penhaul that Hamas "will not give up" or give in to Israel's demand for immediate end to rocket attacks.

"We will not wave the flag and we will try to protect our people, said Hamid. "But I want to say that we as Palestinian people want to live in peace, security -- but I think [Israel's] occupation force will not give us the chance."

Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians have also been killed since Israel launched the offensive nearly two weeks ago with the stated goal of stopping the rocket attacks.

The interview was interrupted by what appeared to be Egyptian intelligence officials, who hustled Hamid back toward the Gaza side of the border.

In the mean time, ambulances struggled to deliver patients through the Gaza-Egypt crossing. Mohammed Hamid, a Palestinian driver, told CNN Israeli forces are stopping ambulances evacuating the wounded.

"The road is blocked between here and Gaza City," said Hamid. "There is no effective communication with the Israeli side; they're blocking the road with tanks."

 

[theblackhole]

Israeli aircraft continued to bomb Gaza overnight as the UN urged an immediate end to nearly two weeks of conflict between Israel and Hamas militants.

A Security Council resolution called for a ceasefire, access for aid workers and a lasting solution to the conflict.

Overnight, at least 50 air strikes hit Gaza, one attack reportedly killing five Palestinians. Militants fired several rockets into southern Israel.

It is estimated 770 Palestinians and 14 Israelis have been killed so far.

Meanwhile, eyewitnesses have told the UN that about 30 Palestinians died earlier this week as Israeli forces shelled a house in Gaza City into which Israeli soldiers had previously moved about 100 people, half of them children.

Israel said the allegations were being investigated.

After the Security Council vote, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Israel would continue to act bearing the security of its citizens in mind.

There has been no official government reaction to the UN vote so far, but the Israeli security cabinet is meeting to consider its reaction and next steps.

The BBC's Tim Franks, in Jerusalem, says there is no guarantee that the UN's call for an immediate end to hostilities will be met.

A prominent Egyptian cleric has called on Muslims across the world to stage rallies on Friday to demonstrate anger at the violence.

Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who heads the Union of Islamic Scholars, said Friday prayers should be dedicated to expressing solidarity with the Palestinians.

Israel has stationed thousands of extra police in east Jerusalem, in case of protests after Muslim Friday prayers.

'Durable ceasefire'

Early on Friday, Israeli planes launched fresh strikes on targets in Gaza. Five members of one family were killed in one attack, witnesses said.

In a report which could not be verified independently, Hamas said a bomb had flattened a five-storey apartment block in northern Gaza.

Reports of new attacks emerged as 14 out of 15 Security Council members backed a resolution on the crisis.

The resolution called for an "immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire" leading to the "full withdrawal" of Israeli forces from Gaza.

It also called for "the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance", measures to prevent arms smuggling to Palestinian militants and the opening of border crossings into Gaza.

It is the first time the Security Council has acted since the Israeli offensive in Gaza began on 27 December.

The US chose to abstain, thinking it "important to see the outcomes of the Egyptian mediation efforts, in order to see what this resolution might have been supporting", US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explained.

Israeli officials visited Cairo on Thursday to hear details of a plan put forward by Egypt and France.

A Hamas delegation is also expected in the Egyptian capital at some stage for parallel "technical" talks, Egyptian diplomats said.

Israel wants to stop rocket attacks on southern Israel and to stop Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza via Egypt, while Hamas says any ceasefire deal must include an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza.

The Security Council's near-unanimous vote represents an important diplomatic punctuation mark in this crisis, correspondents say.

But the US abstention weakened the impact of the vote because Washington's support would have placed more pressure on Israel to halt its offensive, they add.
....................................................................................................

what resolution and what ceasefire? power comes from the barrel of the gun. without usa tacit support, the ceasefire is rather lame...so the invaders will continue to pound the city to bits and commit mindless atrocities on women,children and babies....oh what a shame.

 

[theblackhole]

UN: One-Third of Gaza Dead, Injured are Children

By AP / JOHN HEILPRIN Friday, Jan. 09, 2009

As of Thursday, 257 children were among the approximately 760 reported dead in Gaza. There were another 1,080 children among the 3,100 injured in the conflict, according to statistics from Gaza's health ministry.

The U.N.'s top humanitarian official, John Holmes, described the numbers as "credible" and deeply disturbing. U.N officials say about half of the casualties were civilians.

Holmes and John Ging, head of Gaza operations for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, both expressed anger and regret at their decision Thursday to temporarily suspend aid shipments in the Gaza Strip because it was too risky for their aid workers.

"It's particularly distressing and horrifying that the current casualties seem to be increasingly civilian casualties, with an increasing incidence of whole families being buried in houses which have been hit," Holmes said.

Ann Veneman, executive director of the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, warned the suspension of aid would put children even more in harm's way.

"This can only deepen an already critical humanitarian situation and put children at even greater risk of death or permanent damage. The distribution of food, water, fuel and medicine should not be impeded," she said.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it cooperates closely with foreign aid groups to help civilians, and said Hamas uses civilians as human shields.

The decision to suspend aid deliveries in Gaza came after Israeli strikes killed two drivers for UNRWA and injured a third in marked vehicles, U.N. officials say.

In all, four of UNRWA's Gaza staff have been killed since Israel launched a major attack on Hamas 13 days ago, according to the U.N. UNRWA said its deliveries of food have served as a "lifeline" for 750,000 Palestinian refugees in Gaza.

Holmes cited another incident in which a U.N. convoy of two armored vehicles and an ambulance were "targeted by small-arms fire during its passage" Thursday, even though its movement was "agreed in advance" by the Israeli authorities.

The World Health Organization said Gaza's health services were "on the point of collapse" — the hospitals overwhelmed, health care workers exhausted. It said the dead included 21 medical personnel, 30 more were injured and 11 ambulances have been struck by attacks.

The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross, or ICRC, accused Israel Thursday of "unacceptable" delays in letting rescue workers reach three Gaza City homes hit by shelling where they found 15 dead and 18 wounded.

The wounded included young children too weak to stand, but the ICRC said the Israeli army refused to give permission for rescuers to reach the site in the Zeitoun neighborhood for four days and ambulances could not reach the neighborhood because the Israeli army erected large earthen barriers that blocked access.

Israel blamed the delay on fighting in the area.

 

[lolabunny]

Why sinkie news like don't care?

 

[theblackhole]

Why sinkie news like don't care?

we are a country of sheep and zoombies....die die your business...completey soul-less and emotionless...just give me my cheque,my flat and my food....a country of dead ducks and chickens. only think of salaries and more pay hikes.and of course copulating all night long.gambling,drinking and sex...4D and Toto..and handouts and waiting for more handouts...we a country of goner...ME is raging...and you read news about child abuse and family abuse headlines....you die your business.when things come to their door-steps, too late liao....be prepared to be slaughtered like ducks and chickens. hallelujah!

 

[lolabunny]

we are a country of sheep and zoombies....die die your business...completey soul-less and emotionless...just give me my cheque,my flat and my food....a country of dead ducks and chickens. only think of salaries and more pay hikes.and of course copulating all night long.gambling,drinking and sex...4D and Toto..and handouts and waiting for more handouts...we a country of goner...ME is raging...and you read news about child abuse and family abuse headlines....you die your business.when things come to their door-steps, too late liao....be prepared to be slaughtered like ducks and chickens. hallelujah!

Oh dear.