Another Blood Libel

Israel shelled Gaza house crowded with civilians: UN

The United Nations on Friday cited witnesses saying Israeli forces evacuated about 110 Palestinians into a house which they then repeatedly shelled 24 hours later, killing about 30 people.

It said that "according to several testimonies, [testimonies? from whom?] on 4 January Israeli foot soldiers evacuated approximately 110 Palestinians into a single-residence house in Zeitun (half of whom were children) warning them to stay indoors. [now if they wanted to kill them, why do that? why not just shoot or immediately shell them then?] Twenty-four hours later, Israeli forces shelled the home repeatedly, killing approximately 30." [a whole day later? could something have happened in the meantime? like Hamasniks shooting from the house and our sldiers presuming that everybody left?]

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called it "one of the gravest incidents since the beginning of operations" by Israeli forces in Gaza on December 27.

"Those who survived and were able walked two kilometres to Salah Ed Din road before being transported to hospital in civilian vehicles. Three children, the youngest of whom was five months old, died upon arrival at the hospital," OCHA said in a report on the situation in the battered Gaza Strip.

Asked for comment an Israeli military spokesman said the allegation was being investigated.. [why not say, in addition, 'since most of these claims have been proven to be either false or grossly exaggerated, we ask that you suspend judgment until the facts are clarified'?]