Report: IDF opens fire on women shielding militants

[Behind the Aegis]

Israel Defense Forces troops opened fire Friday on a group of women who
streamed to a north Gaza mosque to serve as human shields for gunmen holed up there, killing Palestinian health ministry official Dr. Muawiya Hassanin and wounding 10, Palestinian officials and witnesses said.

The IDF said troops were firing on armed militants participating in the women's protest, Israel Radio reported. Earlier, a Palestinian militant was killed in Beit Hanun.

Troops were surrounding the mosque and calling on about 15 to 20 militants holed up there to surrender, the radio said.

The troops have been trading fire with militants firing from the mosque for several hours Friday morning. The gunmen were staying in the mosque to evade IDF troops pursuing Palestinian rocket squads. Part of the roof caved in during the clashes, but Palestinian sources said the militants were not injured in the collapse.

more...

[Englander]

1. Updated link -

4-year-old boy among 9 Palestinians killed in Gaza

By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

A 4-year-old boy and 40-year-old woman were among four Palestinian civilians killed Friday during an Israel Defense Forces operation in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, Palestinian sources said.

Five Hamas militants were also killed in Gaza on Friday, bringing the total number of Palestinian deaths to 24 since the Gaza offensive against Palestinian rocket-launching cells began Wednesday, the sources said.

A 19-hour standoff between IDF troops and Palestinian gunmen holed up inside a mosque in Beit Hanun ended Friday morning after all the gunmen fled, the IDF and Palestinians said. However, troops and militants continued to trade fire in two buildings next to the mosque, and the IDF was surrounding the Beit Hanun hospital and calling on militants inside to surrender, Israel Radio reported.

The militants inside the mosque escaped under cover of a protest by Palestinian women outside, the IDF said.

One of the protesters - the 40-year-old woman - was killed by IDF fire, Palestinian witnesses and hospital officials said. They said that she was killed and several others were wounded when IDF troops opened fire on a group of women who streamed to the mosque to serve as human shields for the gunmen holed up there.

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Israeli troops kill 2 women in Gaza mosque stand-off

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

BEIT HANOUN, Gaza, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Israeli troops shot and killed two Palestinian women acting as human shields between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen during a clash at a Gaza mosque on Friday, witnesses said, before the gunmen escaped.

The dramatic events came on the third day of an Israeli assault on the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, the largest operation it has conducted in the Gaza Strip in months, designed to put a stop to militants firing homemade rockets into Israel.

The 60 gunmen holed themselves up in the al-Nasir mosque on Thursday evening. On Friday, around 50 veiled Palestinian women, answering an appeal on local radio, marched towards the mosque, attempting to act as a shield against the Israeli troops.

Television footage showed Israeli forces opening fire and two of the women were killed. At least six others were wounded.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L03868446.htm

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IDF troops encircle Gaza mosque, trade fire with gunmen inside

By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents, News Agencies and Haaretz Service

The roof of a mosque in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun collapsed on about 60 Palestinian gunmen holed up inside early Friday as they exchanged fire with Israel Defense Forces troops. A gunman was said killed in the clashes, and five militants were killed by the IDF elsewhere in Gaza and in the West Bank.

Most of the gunmen, representing several militant factions, escaped the mosque unharmed, Palestinian sources said.

Palestinian witnesses said IDF bulldozers demolished a wall of the mosque and fired stun grenades and tear gas in an effort to force them to surrender.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/783100.html

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Israeli troops open fire on women outside mosque

Staff and agencies
Friday November 3, 2006
Guardian Unlimited

At least one Palestinian woman was killed and another 10 were reported wounded when Israeli forces today opened fire on a group preparing to act as a human shield for militants in a Gaza mosque.

Dozens of women were gathering outside the mosque in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip this morning after an appeal on a local radio station. Up to 60 gunmen had taken refuge in the building after the Israeli army began its largest Gaza offensive in months in an attempt to stop militants launching rocket attacks on nearby Jewish settlements over the border.

Television pictures showed at least 50 women making their way along a pavement when shots could be heard ringing out. They started to flee in terror and at least two women were left lying on the ground.

Witnesses said one woman, aged about 40, was killed, and 10 others were wounded. Some reports said a second woman had died. The Israeli army said troops spotted two militants hiding in the crowd of women and opened fire.

Israeli tanks and armoured personnel carriers surrounded the building when militants took refuge there after two days of fighting, the Israeli military and Palestinian security officials said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1938667,00.html

[bemildred]

2. Boy, you just don't know what to say ... nt

[Scurrilous]

3. On the spot: Gaza mosque siege

<snip>

""The town is completely sealed off from the outside world. Last night I drove round and it was incredibly tense. Palestinian youths, many armed, were running around the outskirts. I could see Israeli tanks in total control of the town centre. Israeli observation drones also flew overhead throughout the night to monitor the town.

"What appears to have happened is that a group of Palestinian gunmen were trapped by Israeli troops inside the al-Nassr mosque overnight.

"After appeals from Hamas on radio throughout the night for people to go to the mosque to get the gunmen out, women marched from neighbouring towns to gather round the mosque and get the fighters out.

"Both the Israelis and Palestinians agree there was siege that was lifted by the crowd of women. Both sides agree there were shots fired into the crowd. But, after this the stories start to differ."

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[Tom Joad]

4. Open fire on unarmed women? Nothing is beyond the pale for the IDF

This is why many Palestinians use armed resistance to the brutal and unending occupation.
Even though many are still using nonviolence, it is examples like this (and there are many) that make people turn to armed resistance.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. True...

They should have just allowed the militants holed up in the mosque to keep firing at them, despite the fact that they were using women as human shields. Isn't that against the rules of engagement?

[pelsar]

9. no its not...

at least not if your a palestenain....it seems anything goes when it come to killing israelis.....the only "rules of engagment" they have is how to kill more israelis, be they kids on a school bus, israelis at a holiday dinner etc.

[cali]

7. This is not one of those

cases where the fault can be apportioned 100% to the IDF. Hamas appeal to women to interject themselves as human shields in the middle of a gun battle is also morally repugnant. That you don't understand that the Palestinians bear some responsibility is no more admirable than those that insist that Israle can do no wrong.

[pelsar]

8. now i understand the definition of "nonvoilence"

and i admit...this one i'm going to have to save just to remind myself what is your definition of "non violence"

palestenains shooting at israelis from behind unarmed women, that were called out to protect the shooting palestenians (stand between the israelis and the shooting palestenains: quite an interesting version of non violence. I guess word definitions vary depending upon geographic area and which group is doing the definition......

brings a smile as i'm amazed at how even definitions or words can be twisted to make a point.....doesnt say much for the one who is twisting the words though, if one cant use real definitions, it doesnt say much for that point of view.

[Scurrilous]

5. In pictures: Gaza offensive :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6113102.stm