Israelis fire on crowds in Gaza
May. 19th, 2004 03:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
winterbadgerIsraeli troops have opened fire during a protest by Palestinian demonstrators in the town of Rafah in southern Gaza.
At least 10 people were killed and 60 injured, though some reports put the number of casualties higher.
The army expressed deep sorrow for the loss of innocent life, but said tanks and a helicopter had fired warning shots to stop crowds entering the area.
US President George W Bush called for restraint from both sides and said he had asked Israel for "clarification".
"It is essential that people respect innocent life in order for us to achieve peace," he said.
But Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat called for international observers to protect his people, describing the events in Rafah as "atrocious crimes".
Reuters news agency quoted the UN special human rights envoy in the Palestinian territories, John Dugard, as saying that the strikes were "war crimes" and amounted to collective punishment violating humanitarian and international human rights law.
The Israeli military said it was too early to say exactly what had happened, although it suggested that explosives laid by Palestinians could have been responsible.
from the BBC
At least 10 people were killed and 60 injured, though some reports put the number of casualties higher.
The army expressed deep sorrow for the loss of innocent life, but said tanks and a helicopter had fired warning shots to stop crowds entering the area.
US President George W Bush called for restraint from both sides and said he had asked Israel for "clarification".
"It is essential that people respect innocent life in order for us to achieve peace," he said.
But Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat called for international observers to protect his people, describing the events in Rafah as "atrocious crimes".
Reuters news agency quoted the UN special human rights envoy in the Palestinian territories, John Dugard, as saying that the strikes were "war crimes" and amounted to collective punishment violating humanitarian and international human rights law.
The Israeli military said it was too early to say exactly what had happened, although it suggested that explosives laid by Palestinians could have been responsible.
from the BBC
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Date: 2004-05-20 03:02 am (UTC)