4 Palestinian children, mother killed in Gaza
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - April 28, 2008 But the Israeli military said explosives carried by militants
were detonated in a clash with the Israelis and "and uninvolved
civilians were hit." Palestinians said the militants were at least
400 yards from the stricken house.
The new violence threatened to hobble Egyptian attempts to bring
a cease-fire to the area.
Palestinian medics identified the dead children as sisters
Rudina and Hana Abu Meatak, ages 6 and 3, and their brothers,
4-year-old Saleh and 15-month-old Mousad. Their mother, Miyasar,
was in her late 30s. Her two older children were critically
wounded, the officials said.
"What a black day. They killed my family," said Ahmad Abu
Meatak, father of the children, wailing outside the local hospital
where the bodies were taken.
The force of the blast scattered clothes and other household
items outside the two-room home. A single white children's shoe,
flattened by the explosion, lay on the ground near a blue pair of
shorts covered in sand. A green baby chair also sat outside, one
end bent by the force of the blast.
A large crowd of people gathered outside, milling about as
rescue crews cleaned up the debris and washed away bloodstains in
the sand.
Beit Hanoun farmer Omar Abdel Nabi said he was driving his
tractor in a nearby field when two or three explosions shook the
ground.
"People were screaming that a tank shell landed in the next
street," he told The Associated Press. "I carried two people
covered in blood out of a house."
The children were taken to a local hospital morgue, where family
members stood over the bodies, wailing and flailing their hands in
the air.
"I feel sick. I want to throw up the blood that is boiling
inside me, into the face of the occupation," said Ibrahim Abu
Meatak, the children's 24-year-old half-brother. He said Miyasar
Meatak was fixing breakfast for the family when the tank shell
struck.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak put the blame on Gaza's
Islamic militant Hamas rulers, and said Israel would continue to
operate in the volatile territory.
"We see Hamas as responsible for everything that happens there,
for all injuries," Barak said during a tour of an Israeli weapons
factory. "Hamas is also responsible, by operating within the
civilian population, for some of the civilian casualties."
At least 10 rockets and dozens of mortar shells were fired at
Israel from on Monday, the Israeli military said. Palestinian
militants frequently launch rockets from Beit Hanoun.
In recent weeks, militants have also tried to infiltrate into
Israel at least four times.
Monday's violence threatened to derail Egyptian efforts to wring
a truce from Israel and Gaza militants.
Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister of Hamas-ruled Gaza, accused
Israel of striving "to ruin any regional and international efforts
to end the siege and halt aggression."
Last week, Hamas said it would accept a six-month cease-fire
with Israel, provided Israel ends the economic blockade it imposed
on Gaza after the Hamas takeover. The blockade has caused shortages
of fuel, cement and other basic items in the impoverished
territory.
Israel has dismissed the truce offer, saying Hamas would use the
lull to rearm after sustaining heavy losses in recent fighting. At
the same time, Israel says it would hold its fire if Hamas and
smaller Gaza militant groups halt their attacks.
While battling Hamas in Gaza, Israel has been conducting peace
talks with the rival Palestinian government of President Mahmoud
Abbas in the West Bank.
The sides hope to reach a peace deal by the end of the year,
though Abbas acknowledged after a trip to the White House last week
that he was growing pessimistic about the lack of progress in
negotiations.