JERUSALEM: The United Nations yesterday cited witnesses as saying Israeli forces moved about 110 Palestinians into a house, told them to stay inside, and later shelled it repeatedly, killing about 30 people.
The Israeli Army said it had no knowledge of such an incident but was investigating.
The UN report said that “according to several testimonies, Israeli foot soldiers evacuated on Jan. 4 approximately 110 Palestinians into a single-residence house in Zeitun (half of whom were children) warning them to stay indoors. Twenty-four hours later, Israeli forces shelled the home repeatedly, killing approximately 30.”
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement: “Those who survived and were able walked two kilometers to Salah Ed Din road before being transported to hospital in civilian vehicles.”
Rescuers from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society were able to reach the area only on Wednesday after waiting four days for Israel to allow them safe passage.
Recalling the massacre, 13-year-old Ahmed Ibrahim Samouni said: “Abu Salah died, his wife died. Abu Tawfiq died, his son died, his wife also died. Mohammed Ibrahim died, and his mother died. Ishaq died and Nasar died. The wife of Nael Samouni died. Many people died.”
