The Times: Israel rains Gaza with internationally-banned white phosphorus
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/en/DataFiles/Cache/TempImgs/2009/1/images_Ne ws_2009_01_06_gaza-050109_300_0.jpg [ 06/01/2009 - 05:21 PM ] LONDON, (PIC)- The British Times newspaper said that Israel rained Gaza with internationally-banned white phosphorus which may cause terrible burns to civilians. In its issue published on Monday, the Times pointed out that the American and British occupation forces in Iraq used this weapon against civilians, but it said it is not illegal if used as a "smokescreen". The newspaper added that the use of this weapon in Gaza, one of the world's mostly densely populated areas, is likely to ignite yet more controversy over Israel's offensive, in which more than 550 Palestinians were killed 2,300 others were wounded. The Geneva Convention stipulates that white phosphorus should not be used as a weapon of war in civilian areas. Palestinian eyewitnesses reported Monday evening that recent artillery shells used by the IOF troops in the bombardment of southeast of Gaza city and north of the Strip is a new kind of incendiary bombs never used in the Palestinian lands. They added that the IOF troops fired white phosphorous bombs on civilian areas which caused serious burns to some Gaza citizens. Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, declared that its fighters managed to shoot down an Israeli spy drone, adding that the plane was used to fire missiles and spy on targets in Gaza. This is the second time Al-Qassam Brigades announced its success in shooting down an Israeli plane, while European sources affirmed that an Israeli helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing after it was hit by Palestinian fire. The Brigades also said that it sniped four Israeli soldiers, targeted a tank and fired rockets on the Israeli Hatsor airbase and Nahal Oz military post. Israeli media outlets reported that the Palestinian resistance was able on Monday night to fire three rockets on the Ashkelon settlement which is located in the coastal plain occupied in 1948, adding that the resistance managed on the same day to fire a total of 40 rockets on different Israeli targets
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