Update: Hamas Misfired Rocket Hit UNRWA School where 17 Killed

[shira]

UNRWA has admitted that a Hamas misfired rocket hit a U.N.-run school in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, according to Channel 2?s Ehud Ya’ari, but an errant IDF artillery shell also may have hit the facility, where Gaza sources claim an estimated 17 children and United Nations personnel were killed and 200 others were wounded Thursday afternoon.

Other sources have said the death toll is closer to 10. Ya’ari also reported that one IDF shell struck the school, but this has not been verified. The IDF spokesman remarked, and UNRWA confirmed, that misfired Hamas rockets fell and exploded in the area of the Beit Hanoun school. The IDF also reported there was significant combat in that area, where Hamas has used schools and hospitals as terror bases. The army shot artillery shells at Hamas targets, and one of the shells may have gone off course.

However, if even one of the explosions was a result of Hamas rockets, which seems to be the case, foreign media will have to throw up their hands in surrender to their constant attempt to show Israel as a mass murderer of innocent children. Israel was immediately blamed for supposedly bombing the school, and UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness jumped all over the IDF for the tragedy.

Israel has made it clear that Hamas is responsible for any and all deaths.

cont'd….
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/hamas-may-have-fired-rockets-that-hit-unrwa-school-killing-17/2014/07/24/

[shira]

1. cont'd….

Foreign news agencies already have blamed Israel and have published gory pictures of the aftermath of the attacks, which came a day after U.N. Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon expressed “alarm” that 20 rockets were found for the second time in a UNRWA school but that they had “gone missing.”

The IDF initially responded to the report of the alleged bombing of the school in Beit Hanoun with a statement saying, the IDF is “currently in the midst of combat, with Hamas terrorists in the area of Beit Hanoun, who are using civilian infrastructure and international symbols as human shields. In the course of the afternoon, several rockets launched by Hamas from within the Gaza Strip landed in the Beit Hanoun area. The IDF is reviewing the incident.”

Beit Hanoun has been a favorite site for terrorists because of its close proximity to Gaza Belt communities.

Approximately 20-30 percent of Hamas rockets have landed or exploded inside Gaza, and Channel 10 television said that UNRWA, after having spewed out anger at the IDF, has confirmed that Hamas was the source of the attacks.

UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness, who has been strangely subdued about not knowing that rockets were hidden in at least two UNRWA schools – and that number is certainly much larger – turned up the volume with his usual anti-Israel condemnation over the bombing of the school. Gunness told Israel Radio that UNRWA tried to coordinate with the IDF during the day to leave a window open for civilians to leave the school, but that request “never was granted.” He tweeted, “Precise co-ordinates of the UNRWA shelter in Beit Hanoun had been formally given to the Israeli army.” He has not had too much to say about the rockets that “have gone missing.”

His boss U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was not so worried that the first batch of rockets found in a UNRWA school last week was turned over to Hamas, now is furious that no one knows who picked up the second batch. A wild guess might be, possibly, maybe, that they went back to their rightful owners, Hamas.

“Those responsible are turning schools into potential military targets, and endangering the lives of innocent children,” Ban stated.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird stated Wednesday, “Even more alarming were reports that in the first case, officials with the United Nations returned these weapons to Hamas, a listed terrorist organization, once Israeli officials discovered their location.”

U.S. State Dept. spokeswoman Marie Harf was at a lost for coherency when asked about UNRWA’s turning over last week’s rockets to ”local authorities” and then finding out that Hamas had taken them.

She refused to admit that “local authorities” and Hamas are synonymous.

[shira]

3. They would be breaking protocol if they didn't. n/t

[Swede Atlanta]

6. No.......

Apologists for genocide by Israel need to acknowledge they blame everything, always on the Arabs. Perhaps it is what they are taught in their Jewish schools? I hear they teach bomb making there. You get a gold star of David if you show you could blow up 100 Arabs....SARCASM....

Let's stop the mud slinging. Both sides are guilty here. The endless war gets neither us nor them anywhere.

The U.S. needs to stop arming Israel period. Let them fend for themselves. Once they are "on their own" just like the Palestinians, sense will settle in. As long as they have a sugar daddy/bitch that gives them billions in aid every year (I hate my tax dollars being spent this way) and missiles and bullets and airplanes, etc. they have NO incentive to every seriously come to the table.

I will be excoriated for this post but it had to be said. Enough "he did it" and "she did it". The two sides need to be put over someone's knee and spanked and locked in a room with nothing more than water and stale bread until they settle their differences.

[leftynyc]

11. Anyone who uses the word

genocide to describe a population that just keeps growing is simply not someone who can be taken seriously. I don't care how reasonable the rest of your post was (and it was....too bad you had to ruin it with disgusting hyperbole).

[RobertEarl]

14. It is attempted genocide

Anyone in denial of that is not to be taken seriously.

The RW is in control of Israel and we all know the RW will lie cheat and steal and commit genocide to get their way. The fact that they are not allowed to do away with the Palestinians can be laid at the feet of those who respect all life. So far we have been successful at keeping the RW from destroying all that is good in the world. So far. But as we see, some here on DU want to embrace and defend the RW.

[leftynyc]

15. Sorry

But this "we all know" crap is bullshit. We don't all follow your fantasy about Israeli's committing genocide so don't try to pretend that everyone agrees with you. That's simply not true.

[RobertEarl]

16. Sure it's true

Look up the definition of the word.

The RW that runs Israel would like nothing better than to rid itself of the Palestinian problem. How do they do that? By getting rid of Palestinians. How to do that? Put them all in concentrated areas and like shooting fish in a barrel, start shooting.

If this is not an attempt at genocide then such a word does not exist. But it does and this is. I get why there would be denial. It's about the worst human endeavor ever.

[PCIntern]

17. You know...

a great novelist said that you can get thru any American conversation with three words: yeah, nope, and sure. Just because you assert something, does not make it true, and you know that. Sure you do...

[leftynyc]

18. No - it's not true

if you want to believe and pretend that everyone shares your delusion, that's entirely your problem. But you're wrong. Very, very wrong and constantly repeating it will never make you right.

[azurnoir]

5. same folks that said Mohammed Abu Khdeir was an honor killing and Arabs had already been arrested

with an hour or so of the announcement of his body being found

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/body-of-arab-boy-found-in-jerusalem-forest/2014/07/02/

[NaturalHigh]

8. Of course this will barely be acknowledged, if at all.

It goes against the whole "Israel is bad" theme that so many are stuck on.

[shira]

9. Yep, it's a rigged game. n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

10. Apparently the rest of the regular media is entirely in on the conspiracy

to blame Israel for shelling the UNRWA school. Who knew that the Palestinians had such wide influence?

[shira]

12. Sometimes it's a matter of life/death in Gaza for reporters...

Can't just report on anything you see in Gaza:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113472763#post12
http://www.democraticunderground.com/113472763#op

[whosinpower1]

13. errant IDF artillery shell......

The IDF confirm that they were shooting back.

[JI7]

19. any other media reporting this ?