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2 Palestinian Kids Murdered by Palestinians |
Inside Track / Rafah is a nightmareBy Amir Oren Haaretz 21 May 2004 www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/430200.html ... When the procession with armed men in its midst set out in the direction of the forces, (the commander of the Gaza Division, Brigadier General Shmuel) Zakaii tried to speak with the community leaders in Rafah. The head of the Liaison and Coordination Administration, Colonel Poli Mordecai, phoned Nasser Saraj, the head of the Civil Committee in the city. Had the Liaison and Coordination Administration sufficed, they would not have needed the tank commander. Saraj, a respected individual, formerly the director-general of the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Palestinian Authority, listened to Colonel Mordecai's pleas, but took no steps to prevent the disaster. When men obeyed the calls over the loudspeakers to turn themselves in to the IDF authorities (and to the intelligence people who wanted to question them), they were confronted by members of the terror organizations, who opened fire on them and killed two children. A senior officer in Gaza reported yesterday that the IDF have in their possession pictures of this incident, of Palestinians killing their children. He expressed amazement as to why the army has refrained from publishing them.] === The following is a summary of the briefing held today by the GOC southern command, Maj. Gen. Dan Harel, regarding the operation in Rafah. On Wednesday, May 12, 2004, an IDF force traveling along the Israeli- Egyptian border came under heavy gunfire and anti tank missiles launched from Rafah. An APC carrying IDF soldiers exploded and as a result five soldiers were killed. During the two days after this incident, rescue teams were operating in the area of the incident in order to locate the bodies' remains and to bring their friends for appropriate burial. During the whole operation the forces were under heavy fire from inside the houses. As a result of these guns fire, which came from 60-70 meters from the border and didn't stop for a single moment, another two IDF soldiers were killed. On Monday, May 17, 2004, the IDF began with a comprehensive operation in the city of Rafah aimed at targeting the terrorists, wanted operatives and to locate and dismantle weapon smuggling tunnels. The target of the operation was to secure the neighborhoods along the Philadelphi road and to make sure that they are clean from terrorists and wanted operatives. The Rafah area is one of the most crowded, the streets are narrow and the houses are adjacent to one another. Simultaneously to the operation, a great stress was given to the humanitarian assistance in the form of repair of water and electricity infrastructures, a free movement of ambulances and supply of basic needs for the Palestinian population. Achievements of the operation: * The securing of
the ability for operational activity along the * 40 armed terrorists
were killed, more then 100 armed terrorists * The locating and dismantling of three weapon smuggling tunnels. * Comprehensive arrests
of wanted Palestinians, among them number Clarifying of the casualties among civilians: As to our
knowledge, 14 innocent residents were killed during the * 8 were
killed while the forces tried to deter a demonstration- a * A brother
and sister- killed apparently on their house's roof. * 2 youngsters,
at the ages of 12 and 16, were killed by * A 13 years
old boy and a 3 years old girl were killed in Demolition of houses: During the operation, damage caused to structures in the city of Rafah. The investigation of the operating forces shows that approximately 56 structures were destroyed. In addition, damage caused to roads after bulldozers were use to detonate explosive devices to ensure safe passage of the APCs. It is important to note that three Americans were killed as a result of a roadside bomb which was activated at their vehicle. * 20 structures
were demolished around the uncovered tunnels, this * In the
neighborhood of Tel- Sultan, IDF forces demolished the * 29 structures
were demolished in the other neighborhoods in The fact that the terrorists where shooting from inside populated houses created a problem. We demolished houses when they were used by terrorists to attack the operating forces. We also needed to pass through narrow streets in armored vehicles which caused additional damage. Humanitarian aid during the operation: It is important to stress that a large effort was made in the rehabilitation of the water and electricity infrastructures and also in the assurance of movement of ambulances (a senior representative of the Red Cross organization in the Gaza Strip noted that there was no delay of ambulances during the operation). Our fighting is not directed against the residents of Rafah. Unfortunately, the residents encounter to a confrontation with the terrorists, and the terrorists are using the residents' houses for the terrorist activity, but no soldier or commander under my command hurt a resident intentionally. |
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