Casualties at UNRWA School

January 6, 2009 12 comments

The following statement was issued by David Saranga, Consul for Media and Public Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel in New York:

Earlier today, upwards of 35 Palestinian civilians were reportedly killed in two unfortunate accidents in Gaza, one at a school run by UNRWA and the second at an apartment in Gaza City. These deaths are indeed a tragedy, and investigations are underway to ensure that further operations continue to avoid civilian casualties.
These initial investigations indicate that Hamas used the UNRWA school to fire at IDF forces, indicating once again that Hamas is more than willing to sacrifice Gaza citizens to promote terrorism. International law recognizes that the presence of civilians in an area of conflict does not delegitimize a military target. Israel and the IDF will continue to abide by these laws and to make every effort to avoid harming civilians in conducting further operations. We urge the international community to strongly condemn Hamas’s cynical exploitation of its citizens and firing of rockets, which remain the most effective way to ensure peace for Gazans and Israelis alike.

This is not the first time Hamas has used a school as a launching pad for weapons. See this YouTube video for further information.

In addition, Hamas has used other civilian structures to house materiel. See our previous posts (here and here) on the subject.

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Written by Tommy about 2 years ago.

Go ahead Hamas. We know who are the criminals who send their children to do their dirty work of them. Sacrifice your own young. What is more criminal than that? Winning at any cost is not winning at all and is not guaranteed. When the cost is so high the debt in blood can never be repaid or returned to the people, where are the winners then? Tell them when they are 6 feet under, that they are winners. Who will believe that nonsense.
Written by Michelle Malkin » About that Israeli strike on the UN “school” Updated about 2 years ago.

[...] The Israeli consulate has issued a statement: Earlier today, upwards of 35 Palestinian civilians were reportedly killed in two unfortunate [...]
Written by Aldo Natouchi about 2 years ago.

The IDF says: We attacked the UN school as selfdefense knowing that civilians were there.

I’m asking if the iDF has the right to kill civilians becuase one guy shot on the soldiers?

Do the civilians become a target because a guy shot on your soldiers?
Written by Rolling Updates on the Israeli Invasion of Gaza (6 January — Evening) | Enduring America about 2 years ago.

[...] The statement from the Israeli Consulate in New York: [...]
Written by Proof that the UN is harboring terrorists | Fire Andrea Mitchell! about 2 years ago.

[...] As for today’s incident, here’s what the Israeli embassy has to say: [...]
Written by Sandra Mad about 2 years ago.

SHAME ON ISRAEL!! The bombing of Gaza is a war crime, and the bombing of the UN marked school for refugees is akin to genocide. Shame Shame Shame! Israel is no better than any other fascist zealot.
Written by Operation Cast Lead Tues Jan 6th, 2009 | Israellycool about 2 years ago.

[...] Consulate in New York has released a statement on today’s civilian casualties caused by Hamas cynically hiding amongst their people: These initial investigations indicate that Hamas used the UNRWA school to fire at IDF forces, [...]
Written by MSNBC Propaganda War on Israel « America, You Asked For It! about 2 years ago.

[...] to escape Israeli fire and those who seek shelter there as human shields. The following video shows Hamas firing rockets from a school in 2007! But a UN official is quoted in the article stating that UN staff “work to prevent [...]
Written by hayqueserirresponsable.com » Gaza y la web 2.0: youtube, twitter y blogs para pelear y sobrevivir + Humor y rock islámico about 2 years ago.

[...] para evitar que los bombardeos israelitas acabaran con líderes de Hamas o más recientemente cómo la escuela de la ONU que fue atacada era usada para disparar proyectiles contras las tropas ju… y publica un video de Youtube para mostrar que no es primera vez que realizan esta práctica, [...]
Written by anthony about 2 years ago.

IF HAMAS DIDNT FIRE ROCKETS FROM THE SCHOOL, IT WOULDNT HAVE BEEN ATTACKED,WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO , GIVE THEM SAFE ZONES TO FIRE THE ROCKETS FROM. IF THAT WAS THE CASE THE WAR WOULD NEVER END.
Written by Sandra Koponen about 2 years ago.

SHAME ON ISRAEL!!! There is no excuse for bombing the UN marked school filled with civilians the other day; experts say it is not true that is was a launching site for Hamas rockets. The Israeli’s occupation and destruction of Palestinian homes, farms, the road blocks and denial of basic services are making it impossible for the Palestinians to live. Their rockets may bother the Israelis, but if the Israeli’s allowed the Palestinians the ability to live a decent life it’s possible there would be no rockets. The bombing of Gaza will only create more terrorists and exacerbate hostilities. THE US should not support Israel militarily and the US must condemn the Israeli attacks. The attack on the school is unforgivable, and bombing of densely populated areas is a war crime because it’s too likely that innocent civilians will be killed. SHAME ON ISRAEL!!!
Written by Peter Lorenzo about 2 years ago.

It would help if Israel allowed journalists into the conflict area in order to allow verification of stories and incidents rather than post misleading articles such as this.

I would also question this article in its entirety not least for “initial investigations indicate…” – investigations by whom? The army who did the firing…well perhaps they would make that claim to avoid being indicted for war crimes. The notion of Israeli armed forces making every effort to avoid civilian casualties is hardly substantiated by the death and injury toll to date as well as on record comments from armed forces personnel stating they would do whatever it takes to protect themselves and their men.

Finally if investigations showed that IDF forces were fired upon then why refer to this as an “unfortunate accidents”? The word accident would make sense if it were not a response to a deliberate act. In short the swift rebuttal by the PR team of damaging headlines is undermined by the very language you employ.

This was not an accident but rather more part of a pattern of ongoing and deliberate reckless endangenment of civilian lives.

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Casualties at UNRWA School

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