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UN: No Militants in Shelled School

Mortar may have been fired from nearby grove

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 7, 2009 10:06 AM CST

(Newser) – The UN says it found no evidence to support claims there were militants inside the UN-run school Israeli forces fired on yesterday in Gaza, killing 40 civilians and injuring 55 more, Time reports. Israeli Defense Forces “returned fire,” a spokesman said, after militants fired mortars from inside the girls’ elementary school, in which some 400 people from the nearby refugee camp had taken shelter.

But after investigating, “we’re 99% sure that no militants were at the school,” a UN spokesman countered. Some refugees say they saw militants firing mortars nearby and running away; one Gaza resident said a nearby citrus grove might’ve provided cover. But Israel insists the mortars came from inside the crowded schoolyard, and that Hamas was using the civilians as shields.

Palestinians pray over the bodies of people killed near a United Nations school yesterday, during their funeral in the Jebaliya refugee camp today.
Palestinians pray over the bodies of people killed near a United Nations school yesterday, during their funeral in the Jebaliya refugee camp today.   (AP Photo)
Palestinian women from the El Deeb family, who had 10 relatives killed near a United Nations school yesterday, react during their funeral in the Jebaliya refugee camp today.
Palestinian women from the El Deeb family, who had 10 relatives killed near a United Nations school yesterday, react during their funeral in the Jebaliya refugee camp today.   (AP Photo)
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a street near a UN school, after an Israeli attack killed dozens of Palestinians, in Jabaliya refugee camp, Jan. 6, 2009.
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a street near a UN school, after an Israeli attack killed dozens of Palestinians, in Jabaliya refugee camp, Jan. 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Palestinians pray over the bodies of people killed yesterday near a United Nations school, during their funeral in the Jebaliya refugee camp today.
Palestinians pray over the bodies of people killed yesterday near a United Nations school, during their funeral in the Jebaliya refugee camp today.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
alienvv
Jan 7, 2009 9:09 PM CST
I know one thing- There is no other country in the world which can bombard its neighbors at any time it feels appropriate. Is this a never ending war, is this a wound on our planet...how long we can sit back and watch that wound bleeding?// Where is our international community? Is it all corrupted and out of conscience? Because no matter politics - real people are dieing there every day. It is just beyond comprehension in 21 century. It seems we as a race did not improve did not get any better throughout our history and evolution. One would assume that with our intellectual progress there should not be any unresolvable problem between us...are we still just talking monkeys? is our planet just a noisy jungle?
Stuart
Jan 7, 2009 3:26 AM CST
Would that be the same UN that allowed Hezbollah fighters to use their uniforms and trucks to kidnap Israeli soldiers and then denied and denied and denied it until the video of the incident surfaced proving their complicity? What about the video of the mortars fired from the school? http://current.com/items/89685503/video_palestinian_repeatedly_fired_mortars_at_israel_from_un_school.htm

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Israel • United Nations • Gaza • Hamas • Israel and Palestinians • Arab Israeli conflict

 
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