Israel’s Latest Victims are Dead Palestinians and UN Headquarters

As the Israeli attack continues on Gaza for the third week of heavy bombardment, the number of casualties are rising rapidly. The latest figures shows the number of Palestinians death has reached to 1095 mostly children and women and over five thousand injured. Israel’s latest victims are the United Nation Headquarter in the Gaza city and a cemetery. The UN Headquarter was a warehouse that provided 700 Palestinians refugees with food and shelter. 

A UN spokesman said: “It is not clear at this stage if they are UNWRA staff or some of the 700 or so civilians who have taken refuge in our compound.” This is not the first time that Israeli soldiers have targeted the UN. Last week three UN marked schools were hit by Israeli soldiers which killed 42 innocent civilians in one school and three others in a separate attack at the UN school in Gaza. Most of the victims were women and children according to the UN. 

As always the Israeli government blamed Hamas and argued that a rocket was fired from the UN Headquarter in Gaza. In an interview with Reuters news agency Paul Connelly, a spokesman for the Red Cross said: “We can’t be certain in the heat of the conflict whether it was deliberate targeting.”  Today’s attack  has “outraged” the UN secretary general Ban Ki -Moon, who is currently in Israel meeting the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

In a separate attack Israeli soldiers targeted the media organisations in Gaza. According to the Reuters news agency a missile hit the downtown Al-Shurouq Tower.  In the Tower there were offices of Abu Dhabi Television, Reuters and several other news agencies, and it is reported that two journalists have been injured. In an article published in the Reuter’s website today, it argues that the attack on media organisation was deliberate: “Gulf-based Abu Dhabi Television said it believed its two journalists were targeted by an Israeli aircraft as they filmed from the office.” http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5053R720090115?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Journalists argue that Israel is using white phosphorous, which is illegal by the International law. The use of white phosphorous is banned as a weapon of war in civilian areas under the 1980 Geneva protocol. It is so dangerous that it causes horrific burns on contact with skin. In an interview with Aljazeera on Tuesday, Israeli defence spokeswoman neither denied nor confirmed that Israel is using white phosphorus. Despite the fact the reporter asked the question several times.

In an article published in The Guardian website today, argues that bringing peace under the current climate would be a difficult task between Hamas and Israel. “Israeli forces were reported to be closing in on the outskirts of Gaza City, targeting 70 sites overnight and forcing thousands more Palestinians to flee their homes. It is not clear whether this morning’s offensive marks another escalation in the conflict or a brief foray ahead of a possible ceasefire.” http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/15/israel-gaza-offensive-truce-talks

In the latest Israel attacks on Gaza, a senior member of Hamas was killed, the Interior Minister Said Sayyam alongside his brother and his son. This can make matters worse for peace process. Today peace talks are taking place in Egypt to bring an end to the war on Gaza. Analysts argue that Israel and Hamas would not reach to a conclusion, because Hamas wants an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which is hard for Israel to accept as it vowed to get rid of Hamas.