JERUSALEM, 20 May 2004 — Israeli helicopters fired missiles on peaceful protesters in the Rafah refugee camp yesterday, killing at least 14 Palestinians and raising a two-day death toll to 33 in Israel’s bloodiest Gaza raid in years. Medics said more than 50 people were wounded in the besieged Rafah camp in the southern Gaza Strip and that the casualties included mostly children and teenagers dismembered by the blasts.
The barrage of Israeli fire sent a marching crowd fleeing in terror, some dragging bloodied comrades and others carrying wounded children in their arms. One witness described a “sea of blood with body parts flying all over”.
Israel’s army will continue its operation in the Gaza Strip, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said amid a crescendo of foreign criticism.
“This is a necessary and vital operation for the security of the state of Israel...This operation is vital and will continue as long as needed,” Mofaz told reporters.
Expressing “deep sorrow over the loss of civilian lives”, the army said it did not fire deliberately at the procession but that tank fire designed to drive back the protesters may have caused casualties.
“It was horrifying,” said Mahmoud Abu Hashem, 35. “There was one person with his intestines coming out. Another had blood covering his face and you couldn’t even make out his features.”
In a rare but gently worded rebuke to a key ally, US President George W. Bush told reporters: “I continue to urge restraint. It is essential that people respect innocent life in order for us to achieve peace.” However, Bush refused to condemn the carnage.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat called the strike a “war crime” against peaceful demonstrators, demanded punishment for those responsible and appealed for international intervention.
The bloodshed also brought renewed international pressure on Israel to end its assault, which began on Tuesday.
A UN human rights envoy accused Israel of war crimes and a violation of humanitarian law, and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he was “deeply distressed” by the high civilian casualties in Gaza. The firing began as marchers moved toward the Tel Sultan neighborhood, focal point of Israel’s sweep into Rafah, to demand that humanitarian aid be allowed in.
Brig. Ruth Yaron, Israel’s chief military spokeswoman, said a helicopter fired a missile into an open area trying to scare away the demonstrators and then shelled an abandoned building when they kept moving toward Israeli forces.
“It is possible that the casualties were the result of the tank fire on the abandoned structure. The details of the incident continue to be investigated,” the statement said.
Palestinians said the incident evoked bitter memories of the army’s 2002 assault on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, where forces flattened an entire neighborhood following suicide bombings in Israel.
Earlier yesterday, Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in Rafah and demanded the surrender of fighters. Troops rounded up some 2,000 men and youths before releasing most and taking 150 away to a border post, witnesses said.
Amid the bloodletting, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon worked to revive his Gaza withdrawal plan, which aides said may be presented for Cabinet approval as early as next week. Other reports said Sharon may delay the presentation.
Violence has worsened in Gaza since Sharon proposed evacuating troops and Jewish settlers in a plan backed by most Israelis and the United States, but rejected by his Likud party in a referendum.
— Additional input from agencies
