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| Version 15 | Version 16 |
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| Gaza women killed in mosque siege | Gaza women killed in mosque siege |
| (about 4 hours 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 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 said it was investigating the reports of deaths and that there had been armed men in the crowd. | The army said it was investigating the reports of deaths and that there had been armed men in the crowd. |
| The gunmen had sheltered in the mosque during a three-day Israeli raid in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. | |
| Later on Friday, Israeli carried out a series of air strikes on locations in Gaza. | |
| At least one Palestinian died at a building used as a mosque in Beit Hanoun, another was killed close to nearby Beit Lahiya, and two more were killed in the Jabaliya refugee camp, also in northern Gaza. | |
| In Rafah in southern Gaza, four members of a security force linked to Hamas were wounded when their vehicle was hit in an air strike. | |
| Hamas appeal | Hamas appeal |
| In the Beit Hanoun operation, 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. | |
| We risked our lives to free our sons Um Mohammed, Beit Hanoun woman In pictures: Gaza offensive Israeli troops had moved in and sealed the town off on Wednesday, in one of the biggest offensives in recent months, which Israel says is aimed at stopping militants firing rockets into Israel. | |
| 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. | 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 approached Israeli forces. As some of the women tried to pass the troops, further shots came and two women fell to the ground. | Shots were fired as they approached Israeli forces. As some of the women tried to pass the troops, further shots came and two women fell to the ground. |
| At least 10 women and a Palestinian cameraman were injured. | At least 10 women and a Palestinian cameraman were injured. |
| The militants escaped from the mosque in the confusion that followed. | The militants escaped from the mosque in the confusion that followed. |
| Men 'disguised' | 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. | |
| "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. | "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." |
| Press despair over Gaza raid Gaza's rocket threat 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. | Press despair over Gaza raid Gaza's rocket threat 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. |
| "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. |
| Hamas radio has reported that all of the militants in the mosque escaped and were uninjured. | Hamas radio has reported that all of the militants in the mosque escaped and were uninjured. |
| Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, said the event was part of a "planned annihilation" of the Palestinians. | Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, said the event was part of a "planned annihilation" of the Palestinians. |
| He called on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to come to see what he described as "massacres" committed against them. | He called on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to come to see what he described as "massacres" committed against them. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
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| Major raid | Major raid |
| At least 23 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier have died in clashes since the Israeli operation in Beit Hanoun began on Wednesday. Many of those killed were gunmen, but a four-year-old boy died from his wounds overnight. | At least 23 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier have died in clashes since the Israeli operation in Beit Hanoun 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 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. |