Meerendeel gedode Palestijnen in Gaza conflict nog steeds Hamas strijders

 

Terwijl de media suggereren dat er vooral vrouwen en kinderen omkomen bij de Israelische bombardementen op de Gazastrook, zegt zelfs het Israel-kritische Betselem dat ruim 60% strijders waren. Overigens geeft ook Betselem dit op een nogal indirecte manier aan, door het aantal burgers te noemen. Ik wil daarbij opmerken dat Betselem nogal een brede definitie van een burger hanteert, en daar in het verleden ook Hamas activisten die op het moment van hun dood niet bezig waren met terroristische activiteiten onder telde. 

 

In de meeste guerrilla oorlogen, zeker in dichtbevolkt gebied, is het percentage en ook het aantal burgerslachtoffers veel hoger. Iedere onschuldige dode is er natuurlijk een teveel, en de beelden zijn er niet minder schrijnend om wanneer je weet dat dit een ‘goede score’ is. Toch willen we erop wijzen dat Israel er veel moeite voor doet om het aantal onschuldige doden te beperken, terwijl Hamas ze juist in gevaar brengt door vanuit burgergebied raketten af te schieten en ook wapens en explosieven in woonwijken op te slaan. Bovendien riep Hamas dinsdag haar burgers op om de waarschuwingen van het Israelische leger te negeren. Het leger waarschuwt de bevolking van Gaza al dagen via pamfletten, telefoontjes en radio berichten voor aankomende bombardementen. 

 

RP

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Initial Findings: 41 of the Palestinians killed by the Israeli military up to the night of 19 Nov. were civilians, among them 19 minors.

http://www.btselem.org/gaza_strip/20121120_gaza_fatalities

Published:  20 Nov 2012 

 

Initial B’Tselem investigations indicate that 105 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip between the launch of the Israeli military’s “Pillar of Defense” operation on the afternoon of November 14, 2012 and the night of November 19. Initial investigations indicate that at least 41 of those killed were civilians, among them 19 minors, and 11 women. 

 

B'Tselem will continue to investigate the incidents in which civilians have been killed in Gaza, and to review reports coming in even now regarding additional incidents in which civilians have been killed or injured. 

 

Three Israelis were killed in the course of the operation up to the night of the 19th, as a result of rocket fire from Gaza by Palestinian militant organizations.

 

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Hamas Spokesman Urges Palestinian Civilians to Ignore IDF Warnings

http://www.idfblog.com/2012/11/20/hamas-spokesman-urges-palestinian-civilians-to-ignore-idf-warnings/

Published on: November 20, 2012

This afternoon, the IDF dropped leaflets over the Gaza Strip, warning civilians to stay away from Hamas operatives and infrastructure.

The first leaflet:

To the residents of Sheikh Ajlin, Tel Al-Hwa, Rimal South, Zeitoun, Sjaiya, Turkeman and Sajiya Jadida: For your safety, you are required to evacuate your residences immediately and move towards the central Gaza city, via Al-Khara, Jma’at Al Dul Al Arabia, Al Aqsa Al Qudsiya, Um Alaimoun, Salah A-din, Al-Maqsurra, Hal’s Mjdad. In the central Gaza city, you are required to stay between the areas of Salah A-din from the west, Amar Al-Muchtar from the north, Al-Nasser from the east and Al-Quds St. from the south.

The second leaflet:

To the residents of of the outskirts of Shati, Al-Atatra, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun: for your safety, you are required to evacuate your residences immediately and move towards central Gaza city via Al-Falujah, Al-Udda and Salah A-din. In the central Gaza city, you are required to stay between the roads of Salah A-din from the west, Amar Al-Muchtar from the north, Al-Nasser from the east and Al-Quds St. from the south.

A short while ago, the Hamas interior ministry spokesman was interviewed on Al-Quds Radio in Gaza and urged his listeners to ignore the IDF warnings. IDF intelligence was listening to the broadcast and relayed the following transcript:

Question: As the bombings go on, I want to address a specific issue: People have been receiving text messages urging them to evacuate their houses…

 

Hamas Interior Ministry Spokesperson: This is all part of the psychological warfare held by the Zionist enemy… So by using this way of communication, our public radio, I address all our Palestinian brothers by saying: Please do not listen to the orders noted on these text messages, their only purpose is spreading fear and panic within our people.