World

Israelis 'shot at fleeing Gazans'

by kate | January 15, 2009 at 03:20 pm

132 views | 15 Recommendations | 7 comments

This is so appalling. Why isn't anyone doing anything?

Claims have been received by the BBC and an Israeli human rights group that Israeli troops have fired on Gaza residents trying to escape the conflict area. Israel has strongly denied the allegations.

BBC journalists in Gaza and Israel have compiled detailed accounts of the claims.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

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

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

con10t

at 16:43 on January 15th, 2009

If you are so keen on 'framing opinion', what does Israel have to hide, banning international journalists from verifying such claims as yours, or visa versa, verifying that civilians carrying white flags were indeed fired upon while fleeing their building. Who will investigate this, if not the IDF (hardly as you must conced an independent jury?:

"One testimony heard by the BBC and human rights group B'tselem describes Israeli forces shooting a woman in the head after she stepped out of her house carrying a piece of white cloth, in response to an Israeli loudhailer announcement." BBC News

Your claims of false drawing of public sympathy and fantasizing Palestians.... BACK THAT UP with news?

Oh, and be sure its independent non-Israeli non-Hamas reporting to fit the criteria you yourself uphold. Awaiting your report to verify your reply, if in fact your reply IS a reply and not Foucault fog.

Karen Hatter

at 18:20 on January 15th, 2009

Both sides have agendas, with Israel choosing to hide its deeds from the world and claim that any observations of possible criminality and war crimes that are coming out of Gaza should be doubted, without Israel providing any proof to show these accounts are not true.

Is it to be assumed that all of the humanitarian agencies and aid workers observing these horrendous actions with their own eyes are in league with Hamas?

kate

at 17:02 on January 15th, 2009

Yes, I consider the BBC to be a reliable source. You should read the full article, it is well researched and contains the references required in order to consider it as a piece of solid journalism.

In this case, the burden of proof is on you to challenge the veracity of it.

tikun

at 15:42 on January 15th, 2009

I think your comments should be framed in opinion. You assume it really happened. Claims have often been shown to be fantasies created to distract attention from the real issues and draw public sympathy. It appears the knee-jerk assumption that it is true, gotcha. Eye witnesses in this part of the world isn't a sure bet for the truth. Especially when it comes to Hamas and its agenda. What's left of it.

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 17:34 on January 15th, 2009

If anything the BBC has been accused of pro-Israeli bias.

Karen Hatter

at 18:12 on January 15th, 2009

Truly disturbing.

From the article:

The BBC also spoke to Marwan Abu Rida, a paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent, who says he was called to the site at 0810 local time (0610 GMT).

But he says he came under fire as he tried to reach it, and was trapped in a house nearby until 2000 (1800 GMT) because of Israeli shooting.

He said that when he reached the location he found the dead woman, Rawhiya, who appeared to have been shot in the head, as well as the younger woman who was injured.

In a written response to the incident, the Israeli military said: "An initial inquiry into the allegation raised by B'tselem has concluded that the claims are without foundation.

Heritage

at 18:32 on January 15th, 2009

George Galloway, MP for Britain's Respect Party, commented on the BBC a few days ago:

"The Bush and Blair Corporation…the BBC, has become the English language arm of the Israeli Defense Force, during this invasion."

"Let me appeal to the journalists, the decent journalists, from the BBC, to insist that those who are keeping the journalists out of the Gaza Strip, are not allowed to dictate the terms of reference made by the BBC."