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Gaza women 'die in mosque siege' Gaza women 'die in mosque siege'
(about 1 hour later)
Two women have been killed as Israeli troops opened fire on a crowd of women gathered to help besieged gunmen flee a Gaza mosque, witnesses and doctors say.Two women have been killed as Israeli troops opened fire on a crowd of women gathered to help besieged gunmen flee a Gaza mosque, witnesses and doctors say.
The Israeli military said the army believed the Palestinian militants escaped by mingling with the women, who were acting as human shields. The Israeli military said the militants escaped by mingling with the women, who were acting as human shields.
The army told the BBC the troops fired in response to shots from militants. The army said it was investigating the reports of deaths and that troops fired after shots came from within the crowd.
The gunmen had sheltered in the mosque during a three-day Israeli raid in the north Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.The gunmen had sheltered in the mosque during a three-day Israeli raid in the north Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.
The siege ended when Israeli forces entered the compound and found no-one there, Israel's army says. Israeli troops moved in and sealed the town off on Wednesday, in one of its biggest operations in recent months.
Dozens of women had gathered outside the mosque after an appeal on local radio. The military said the raid was aimed at stopping militants firing rockets into Israel.
We risked our lives to free our sons Um Mohammed, Beit Hanoun woman In pictures: Gaza offensive Reports say at least one of the women died as Israeli troops opened fire on a group of protesters as they marched towards to the mosque. We risked our lives to free our sons Um Mohammed, Beit Hanoun woman In pictures: Gaza offensive
Israeli military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich said: "We saw crowds of women. Behind the women hid some of the militants. Some of them were even dressed up as women: we have footage. A tense stand-off developed on Friday after Israeli forces surrounded the mosque, where at least 15 Palestinian gunmen, thought to be mainly from the military wing of Hamas, had taken refuge.
After an appeal by the militant group Hamas was broadcast on local radio, a crowd of up to 200 women began marching towards the mosque.
Shots were fired as they tried to pass Israeli forces. As the women continued to advance, further shots came, and two women fell to the ground.
At least six women and a Palestinian cameraman were injured.
The militants escaped from the mosque in the confusion that followed.
Men 'disguised'
Israeli military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich said: "Unfortunately, maybe one woman was killed - I don't know if it's by IDF or not. But our purpose is definitely not to hit the innocent ones."
Press despair over Gaza raid Gaza's rocket threat "We saw crowds of women. Behind the women hid some of the militants. Some of them were even dressed up as women: we have footage," she said.
"Unfortunately because the militants shot at our forces, sometimes we had to respond.""Unfortunately because the militants shot at our forces, sometimes we had to respond."
Israel entered Beit Hanoun on Wednesday to stop rocket attacks, it said. At least two men disguised in women's clothes were seen being embraced by jubilant bystanders as the women rushed away from the mosque, the Associated Press reported.
Rocket attacks by militants against towns close to the Gaza border, including Sderot and Ashkelon, have continued since Israel pulled its troops out of Gaza in 2005.
Bulldozer assault
In one of the biggest operations in the Gaza Strip in recent months, Israeli troops moved in and sealed the town off.
At least 20 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier died in the fighting that ensued. Many of those killed were gunmen, but a four-year-old boy died from his wounds overnight.
A tense stand-off developed after Israeli forces surrounded the mosque, where Palestinian gunmen had taken refuge along with about 60 others.
Witnesses said bulldozers demolished a wall as the Israelis tried to force those inside to surrender and there were exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the gunmen.
However, following an appeal on Hamas radio, more than 100 women approached the compound in groups.
Running to safety
"We risked our lives to free our sons," Um Mohammed, a woman in her 40s, told the AFP news agency afterwards."We risked our lives to free our sons," Um Mohammed, a woman in her 40s, told the AFP news agency afterwards.
"Hundreds of us entered the mosque and surrounded the resistance fighters to protect them," 21-year-old Nidaa al-Radih said."Hundreds of us entered the mosque and surrounded the resistance fighters to protect them," 21-year-old Nidaa al-Radih said.
href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6108988.stm" class="">Press despair over Gaza raid href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3702088.stm" class="">Gaza's rocket threat Hamas radio has reported that all of the militants in the mosque escaped and were uninjured.
With the gunmen shielded within their midst, the women ran to an area north-west of the town which is clear of Israeli troops. Major raid
Hamas radio has since reported that all of the militants in the mosque had escaped and were uninjured. At least 20 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier have died in clashes since the Israeli operation began on Wednesday. Many of those killed were gunmen, but a four-year-old boy died from his wounds overnight.
BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says that Israel's most immediate aim is to prevent rocket attacks against its territory, but beyond that it wants to strike a decisive blow at Hamas.BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says that Israel's most immediate aim is to prevent rocket attacks against its territory, but beyond that it wants to strike a decisive blow at Hamas.
Israeli officials are convinced Hamas has been acquiring new weapons and wants to turn Gaza into an even stronger base for attacks against them, just as the Lebanese group Hezbollah did on their northern border.Israeli officials are convinced Hamas has been acquiring new weapons and wants to turn Gaza into an even stronger base for attacks against them, just as the Lebanese group Hezbollah did on their northern border.
In other developments:In other developments:
  • An Israeli air strike on Gaza City killed four Hamas militants, with a local commander of Hamas' military wing reportedly among the casualties
  • An Israeli air strike on Gaza City killed four Hamas militants, with a local commander of Hamas' military wing reportedly among the casualties
  • The Palestinian housing minister was arrested by Israeli troops in the West Bank town of Ramallah
  • The Palestinian housing minister was arrested by Israeli troops in the West Bank town of Ramallah
  • An elderly Palestinian woman was killed in the West Bank town of Bethlehem during an Israeli army arrest raid.
  • An elderly Palestinian woman was killed in the West Bank town of Bethlehem during an Israeli army arrest raid.
    • Both Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniya have described the Beit Hanoun operation as a massacre.Both Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniya have described the Beit Hanoun operation as a massacre.
    Israeli forces have made regular incursions into Gaza and the West Bank following the capture of an Israeli soldier, Cpl Gilad Shalit, in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants on 25 June.Israeli forces have made regular incursions into Gaza and the West Bank following the capture of an Israeli soldier, Cpl Gilad Shalit, in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants on 25 June.
    More than 300 Palestinians have been killed in army operations since then, according to Israeli human rights group B'Tselem.More than 300 Palestinians have been killed in army operations since then, according to Israeli human rights group B'Tselem.