As reported in our previous bulletin, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit was attacked on Tuesday, Jan. 6th by mortar fire from or near the perimeter wall of the Fakhura Elementary School run by UNWRA near the Jabalya refugee camp. Photographic evidence of the attack is available. The armed bodies of two well known Hamas operatives were later found in the school. Hamas knew that civilians, including children, were sheltering there. This did not dissuade them from making use of the UN facility, or of the shelter of its perimeter wall. Significant stocks of mortar shells and other explosive devices were stored on site.
Contrary to the information on hand yesterday, only two afore-mentioned attackers were killed when Israeli soldiers responded. Most of the civilian casualties were incurred by secondary explosions of the military stocks held in the school, which led to the collapse of a portion of the building where the civilians were sheltered. Israel expressed regret over the civilian casualties. Israel had warned residents to leave the area because it was a battle zone. Some chose to remain, assuming the UNWRA facility would provide sufficient shelter, which it would have done had not Hamas abused UNWRA’s privileged status. Others remained due to Hamas insistence.
Think Wolf Blitzer will give you that kind of info? Yeah, right.
You can read the whole thing at The Desert Pastor.
