This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/touring-gaza-destruction-un-chief-implores-israel-hamas-to-avoid-another-war/2014/10/14/c81f0fa0-545a-4738-ab27-88c11c5a4779_story.html?wprss=rss_world

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Touring Gaza destruction, U.N. chief implores Israel, Hamas to avoid another war Touring Gaza destruction, U.N. chief implores Israel, Hamas to avoid another war
(about 3 hours later)
JABALIYAH, Gaza Strip — The first truckload of cement to rebuild the Gaza Strip arrived Tuesday as U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon toured bombed-out neighborhoods nearly two months after the end of a punishing war.JABALIYAH, Gaza Strip — The first truckload of cement to rebuild the Gaza Strip arrived Tuesday as U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon toured bombed-out neighborhoods nearly two months after the end of a punishing war.
Ban, who spent the morning in some of the areas hit hardest during the 50-day conflict between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas, implored Israel to end the blockade of the coastal enclave and the Palestinians to guarantee security for Israel — before another war breaks out.Ban, who spent the morning in some of the areas hit hardest during the 50-day conflict between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas, implored Israel to end the blockade of the coastal enclave and the Palestinians to guarantee security for Israel — before another war breaks out.
“I am here with a very heavy heart. The destruction which I have seen coming here is beyond description,” said Ban, who appeared moved by what he saw in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas. “I am here with a very heavy heart. The destruction which I have seen coming here is beyond description,” Ban said of Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas.
“I saw entire neighborhoods completely destroyed,” he told reporters. “I met so many of the beautiful children of Gaza. More than 500 were killed in the fighting. Many more were wounded. What did they do wrong? Being born in Gaza is not a crime.” “I met so many of the beautiful children of Gaza. More than 500 were killed in the fighting. Many more were wounded. What did they do wrong? Being born in Gaza is not a crime.”
Ban spoke in the courtyard of an elementary school for girls, run by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, that was the scene of deadly shelling by Israeli forces on July 30. The school was filled at the time with evacuees seeking shelter, and 19 people, mostly women and children, were killed by explosions, shrapnel and debris. Ban spoke in the courtyard of a girls’ elementary school, run by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, that was the scene of deadly shelling by Israeli forces on July 30. The school was filled at the time with evacuees seeking shelter, and 19 people, mostly women and children, were killed.
“They sought sanctuary under the U.N. flag,” Ban said, referring to the shelling as “absolutely unacceptable. “They sought sanctuary under the U.N. flag,” Ban said, referring to the shelling as “absolutely unacceptable.”
He added, “All of the details related to the location of this facility were shared with Israeli authorities again and again. Yet the shells fell.”
The U.N. chief said he is considering establishing his own board of inquiry to investigate the shelling of U.N. facilities and the killing of U.N. staff members. The U.N. Human Rights Council has established a commission of inquiry, which Israeli leaders have called a witch hunt.
At the time of the attack on the Jabaliyah school, Israeli military spokesmen said their tanks fired after Gaza militants lobbed mortar rounds from the site. Israeli officials argue that if anyone is guilty of war crimes, it is Hamas, which indiscriminately fired rockets at Israeli civilians.At the time of the attack on the Jabaliyah school, Israeli military spokesmen said their tanks fired after Gaza militants lobbed mortar rounds from the site. Israeli officials argue that if anyone is guilty of war crimes, it is Hamas, which indiscriminately fired rockets at Israeli civilians.
Ban’s trip to Gaza came one day after he visited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who complained to the U.N. leader that Hamas had not only fired from U.N. schools but used its facilities to store rockets.Ban’s trip to Gaza came one day after he visited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who complained to the U.N. leader that Hamas had not only fired from U.N. schools but used its facilities to store rockets.
“When they found rockets in U.N. schools, U.N. officials returned them to Hamas, the same Hamas that fired the same rockets on Israeli cities and Israeli citizens,” Netanyahu said. “When they found rockets in U.N. schools, U.N. officials returned them to Hamas, the same Hamas that fired the same rockets on Israeli cities and Israeli citizens,” Netanyahu told reporters.
“The main reason for the violence over the summer was Hamas rockets on Israeli cities,” Netanyahu told reporters. In their exchange, Ban criticized Israel’s continued construction of Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which the United Nations and many countries consider illegal. Ban also challenged Netanyahu to show “leadership” and make peace with the Palestinians.
In their exchange, Ban criticized Israel’s continued construction of Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, settlements that the United Nations and many nations consider illegal. Ban also challenged Netanyahu to show “leadership” and make peace with the Palestinians. Israel has come under increasing international pressure in recent days. On Monday, Britain’s Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution to recognize a Palestinian state. Though non-binding, the vote seemed intended as a warning to Israel that even its friends were frustrated by the Gaza war, settlement building and the collapse of U.S.-brokered peace talks.
In Gaza on Tuesday, Ban said that his visit reinforced his conviction that “there can be no peace in the Middle East, no security for Israel, while the crisis in Gaza festers.” But Ban, whom Israel has criticized for not placing the blame where Israel says it belongs, added, “I repeat here in Gaza: The rockets fired by Hamas and other armed groups must end. They have brought nothing but suffering.” On Tuesday, Ban said that his visit to Gaza reinforced his conviction that “there can be no peace in the Middle East, no security for Israel, while the crisis in Gaza festers.” But Ban, whom Israel has criticized for not placing the blame where Israel says it belongs, added, “I repeat here in Gaza: The rockets fired by Hamas and other armed groups must end.”
Ban told people in Gaza that the first trucks filled with gravel and cement were arriving in the strip on Tuesday through Israeli checkpoints. He also said “humanitarian payments” will be made to some of the tens of thousands of Gaza civil servants hired by Hamas. Ban said the first trucks of gravel and cement were arriving in the strip on Tuesday through Israeli checkpoints. He also said “humanitarian payments” will be made to some of the tens of thousands of Gaza civil servants hired by Hamas.
According to Palestinian officials, 24,000 civil employees who worked for Hamas, which is now broke, will receive $1,000 each from the monarchy in the oil-rich Persian Gulf state of Qatar, a transaction that will be facilitated by the United Nations. Direct payments to Hamas are not possible because the United States, the European Union and others consider the group a terrorist organization.According to Palestinian officials, 24,000 civil employees who worked for Hamas, which is now broke, will receive $1,000 each from the monarchy in the oil-rich Persian Gulf state of Qatar, a transaction that will be facilitated by the United Nations. Direct payments to Hamas are not possible because the United States, the European Union and others consider the group a terrorist organization.
On Sunday in Cairo, donor nations pledged a larger-than-expected $5.4 billion for Gaza reconstruction and to support Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Palestinian Authority, which is struggling to reassert control over Gaza after being violently ousted in 2007.On Sunday in Cairo, donor nations pledged a larger-than-expected $5.4 billion for Gaza reconstruction and to support Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Palestinian Authority, which is struggling to reassert control over Gaza after being violently ousted in 2007.
The authority is supposed to begin taking over checkpoints and entry ports, according to a recent unity government agreement. But on Tuesday, Hamas security men were still checking permits to enter Gaza.The authority is supposed to begin taking over checkpoints and entry ports, according to a recent unity government agreement. But on Tuesday, Hamas security men were still checking permits to enter Gaza.
Mohammed Daggagh, 25, watched Ban arrive at the school here. He said people are pessimistic about the future. Mohammed Daggagh, 25, watched Ban arrive at the school here.
“So far, all the promises have been just words they say for the TV,” Daggagh said. But maybe things will get better, he added.“So far, all the promises have been just words they say for the TV,” Daggagh said. But maybe things will get better, he added.
Daggagh said he has a university degree in mathematics but makes his living as a part-time laborer. He recently painted his apartment. To repair damage? No, he said, he is getting married in three weeks.Daggagh said he has a university degree in mathematics but makes his living as a part-time laborer. He recently painted his apartment. To repair damage? No, he said, he is getting married in three weeks.
“So you see, we want to live, too,” he said. “We’re sick of war and death.”“So you see, we want to live, too,” he said. “We’re sick of war and death.”
After he left Gaza and returned to Israel, Israeli military officers gave Ban a tour of one of Hamas’s “infiltration tunnels” that reached the Israeli side of the border and was decommissioned this summer by the military. Military spokesmen said Ban was briefed on how Hamas planned to use the tunnels to attack civilians in southern Israel.