230 killed, hundreds injured due to Israeli bombings against Gaza

by Sameh Habeeb | December 27, 2008 at 02:37 pm

1327 views | 55 Recommendations | 16 comments

Saturday morning started as usual but dramatically changed by 11AM. Sixty Israeli F16 bombarded around 100 police stations, civil and governmental offices across Gaza Strip. The bombardment which simultaneously took place left 160 people killed and around 3 hundred wounded. A number of wounded is expected to die while many corps still under the rubbles of buildings. Palestinian victims were amalgamation of policemen and civilians who were visiting some police stations for civic affairs.

Al Jawazat police station witnessed the bloodiest Israeli attack in which around 70 killed mostly policemen. The victims of police of Al Jawzat were holding a graduation ceremony for new young police groups. A family of 9 members, 15 young children, and some women were killed but not recognized. Ministry of Health is not able to recognize the ID's of casualties. Tawfiq Jaber, Director of Gaza police was killed in the air raids along with Ismail El Jabari head of security section in the police. Governor of central Gaza governorates and camps was killed as Israel hit his car.

Ma'waya Hasanian, head of Emergency and Ambulances said that around 230 people killed and 200 injured. He added that a big number of victims was civilians from women, children and old people. Civic cars referred wounded civilians to the hospitals due to lack of medical cars and vehicles.

Gaza hospitals announced inability of receiving wounded due to lack medical equipments and tools. Corps of Palestinians threw on the corridors, rooms and units of hospitals. Meanwhile 2-3 wounded victims shared one bed due to lack of medical equipments resulted in Israeli siege imposed 2 years ago. Basim Nai'm, Health Minster in Gaza said that Gaza medical sector needs tens of medical equipments and tools.A number of 70 wounded were referred to Egyptian hospital.

According to Naser Al laham, Chif-Editor of Maan News Agency said that around 60 Israeli warplanes carried out the Massacre which surprisingly took place in Gaza.

The raids targeted all areas of Gaza Strip, cities, villages and towns. The hit cities are Gaza, Rafah, Khanyonis, Nusairat, Maghazi, Bait Lahia, Jabalia, Bait Hanoun. Refugee camps of Jabalia, Al Shati', Rafah an mid areas were targeted as well. Some of the destroyed compounds included Palestinian prisoners under penal for criminal issus.

The Israeli bombings is flagrantly violating all laws which call for protecting civilians. This was so obvious from the number of civilian casualties. The brutal bombings happened in time of school children were going home after a normal day of study. A considerable number of children were killed, but medical soruces didn't announce official numbers in this respect. Identities of killed people are still unknown but few ones.

On the other side, Israel officially announced the start of a full-scale military operation in Gaza. She has called on settlers to go down to bonkers bordering Gaza after 1 Israeli killed and several injured in a homemade rocket fired from Gaza.

Israeli official Television broadcasted footage of the settlements hit by Gazan fighters and ironically ignored what's happening in Gaza. The television stated that today's military operations is the start for a long-term massive war actions against Gaza. Israeli army named the operation in Gaza " Lead Pouring Out " which entirely means surprisingly decapitation of Palestinian factions in Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak declared the 20 square kilometers of Gaza a "special military zone." The classification is one degree below a declaration of total war against an enemy state. The announcement was made Saturday morning.

Israeli channel 10 announced that the current situation does not amount to a declaration of war, but the operation against the Gaza Strip is intended to last throughout Saturday and perhaps into Sunday. It asserted that Israel prepared an operation that could take several weeks. Preparations have also been taken to contain any expected response in the West Bank.
Ehud Barak said that this operation would roll out in all Gaza's areas and it will last for a longer time. He vowed of a painfull military strike of Hamas pinting out "there is a time for peace and time for War." According to Barak the operation aims at topple down Hamas government and stopping the homemade rockets.

Maan Agency reports: Israeli sources also asserted that the operation would not topple Hamas, but rather will ensure that homemade projectiles from the Gaza Strip will stop. This was confirmed in a statement released by prime minister's office, as well.

Regional efforts are being exerted to pressure on Israel to immediately stop the war crimes perpetrated in Gaza. Turkey expressed its deep anger towards the surprising actions done by Israel. Turkish government held a meeting to discuss the possibilities of reaching truce. Premire of Turkey, Abdallah Gul, condemned the Israeli brutal actions in Gaza.

Meanwhile Syrian President, Bashar Al Asad, Yamini Presdient Ali Abdallah Saleh called for an immediate meeting for Arab league to discuss Gaza's situation. Additionally Qatar and the Sudan called on that too. An expected session for the United Nations would be heled upon a request from Arab countries.

On the popular level, demonstrations took place in the West Bank cities, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan. Lebanese people protest ahead to Egyptian embassy in Bairot considering it as part of siege on Gaza.

Israel warcraft still hover on low distance on Gaza vowing of a hot night!

2 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

Sanjay Jha

flagged this story as Eyewitness Report

at 23:32 on December 28th, 2008

This is an eyewitness report from the NowPublic member Sameh Habeeb who was on the scene.

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Amy Judd

at 15:51 on December 27th, 2008

I have just heard that two more people are dead after an air attack on a mosque in Gaza City, making the death toll at least 232.

Amy Judd

at 17:05 on December 27th, 2008

I am seeing early reports that Israel has bombed the Al Aqsa TV station in Gaza.

Amy Judd

at 17:11 on December 27th, 2008

Al Jazeera has confirmed reports of this - no word on casualties at this time.

Amy Judd

at 17:07 on December 27th, 2008

We have a Gaza channel here and a scan feature here.

Amy Judd

at 17:21 on December 27th, 2008

Israeli warplanes blasted targets all over Gaza early Sunday, including a mosque and a TV station, after a day of intensive airstrikes that killed more than 200 Palestinians at the launch of an open-ended campaign meant to stop rocket and mortar attacks that have traumatized southern Israel.

Amy Judd

at 17:53 on December 27th, 2008

Reports are stating that at least three senior Hamas officers are among the death toll of 234 people.

Lee Lecu

at 20:48 on December 27th, 2008

Official definitions! how idealistic- all settler society's including Canada and the US should be put to death, as well as every European on this planet.

judyinjerusalem

at 23:39 on December 27th, 2008

I heard the Israeli air force scrambling over Jerusalem on saturday morning on their (very short) way down to Gaza--it's an hour a nd a half drive from here. More power to them!

Which other government in the world would have waited 8 years while her citizens were bombarded day and night by Hamas terrorists in towns and villages along the border--this 3 years after we removed 10,000 Israelis and destroyed 22 thriving, productive Israeli communities in the Gaza strip in order to show how willing we were to believe that Palestinians were going to build their peaceful state there and start acting like reqsonable human beings. Instead, they elected Hamas and took the financial aid from the rest of the world and instead of building colleges, hospitals and parks, began building up their terrorist infrastructure...

Oh, and where was Moonwolf during the 8 years of bombardment by Hamas of Israeli towns and villages with no military installations? Didn't hear too much from you, the UN or any other government for that matter, did we? I wonder what your government would do if your town was being shelled day after day by terrorists from across the border less than a mile away--would you have let that go on for 8 years?? Would your air force be careful to only try to obliterate the terrorist infrastructure without harming civilians? Would your prime minister/president have issued a public warning 48 hours ahead of time for innocent citizens to get out of the way?

Take a look at http://www.jcpa.org/text/Amidror-perspectives-2.pdf to learn about Israel's philosophy of dealing with terrorist groups...

Rosalii (not verified)

at 03:50 on December 28th, 2008

How is possible? People want to compare palestinieans with us, Isrealiers. We are a folk of god and god promised us this land. Palestinieans should look for another place to live in. we will not hesitate to hurt them hard. World made an exeption for us by creatiating state of Isreal.We are the chosen folk not the palelistians, Plestinians should accept the will of god. God bless the power.

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 04:15 on December 28th, 2008

"...Ironically, one of Israel's experiments involved assisting in the creation of Hamas, which had its roots in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, to counter the power of Yasser Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organisation. Israel has been determined to push Hamas ever closer to all-out war since insisting that even though it won free and fair Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, its right to govern could not be treated as legitimate..."

from The Guardian, some fairly sensible analysis of the history behind the Israeli attrocities

tikun

at 22:41 on December 28th, 2008

I wouldn't put to much into a Guardian story. They are not the most impartial observer when it is about Israel.

kate

at 22:37 on December 28th, 2008

Shame on you who indicate that these deaths are somehow warrented. These are civilians, children, people. These are people trying to live in their homeland, after years and years of occupation by Israel, and they have been in prison, and now they are being bombed in prison. Shame on you.

tikun

at 22:50 on December 28th, 2008

As long as you continue to see Israel having no right to exist then there will in fact will be more bloodshed. Contributing to the old canards are just not helpful. Someone once said war is hell. This is certainly true having previously lived in the middle of one. Israel is not occupying Gaza. Not now but has been constantly barraged by rockets and previously by suicide bombings and not one word from you or others. It appears that Jewish blood is a bit cheaper and less important.

This is a needed attempt at ending Hamas terrorism not only on Israelis but also on the people of Gaza who oppose extreme Islamic rule. In fact, many Arab countries are more then pleased that Israel is doing their "dirty" work and ending, hopefully, an Iran-Syria-Hamas-Hizbullah axis.

It is painful that civilians are being killed. But Hamas understands that putting all of their ammunitions in populated areas and shooting rockets from people's homes would not until a few days ago receive a response from Israel. No more and thank goodness.

wbsfr8 (not verified)

at 05:41 on December 31st, 2008

Europe is not incorrect in stating the Israeli response is "disproportionate" to Hamas' instigations. A "proportionate" Israeli response would involve firing rockets targeted at innocent civilians, rather than military targets (which Hamas terrorists hedge about with Palestinian civilians). Although Hamas suicide bombings claimed the lives of at least 300 innocent Israelis - roughly the number of "policemen" Israel has killed thus far in its military campaign - the bloodthirsty Zionists never induced a wave of Jewish youngsters to strap on explosives and hug Palestinian children riding public transportation. This disproportionate warfare manifests itself in every aspect of the war:

Terrorists blow up buses of Jews; Israelis blow up cars containing Hamas leaders.
Palestinian television incites its citizens to kill Jewish civilians; Israelis wait years to target known mass murderers.
Terrorists kidnap and sometimes lynch IDF members; Israelis release convicted terrorists to prove their goodwill.
Terrorists destroy hotels in the middle of a seder; Israel bombs empty buildings, often calling ahead to assure Hamas evacuates those structures before the bombs fall.

Israel's response to Muslim terrorism is disproportionate and always will be. The asymmetry represents the gulf between civilization and barbarism. It underscores the difference between nation-states and terrorist entities that have momentarily accrued the resources of nation-states.

chanaka

at 22:57 on January 5th, 2009

No Human Rights Organization is making any comments on these attacks. This was not fist time they keep there mouth shuts. What is so correct in these attacks. Killing innocent is justify and allowing them to continues.