Israeli Forces Kill Gaza Teen: Palestinians

A 17- year-old girl was killed in a blast in central Gaza near the Israeli border Thursday, Hamas security officials said, charging that an Israeli tank shell was to blame.

The Israel Defense Forces said soldiers came under Palestinian fire across the border in central Gaza and returned fire, but they did not use tank shells.

Palestinian Health Ministry official Dr. Moaiya Hassanain said the fatality was a 17-year-old girl, and one of the wounded was a 3-year-old girl.

Earlier, Hassanain said the little girl had been killed.

The Hamas officials spoke under customary condition of anonymity.

Other Palestinians raised doubts about the report that an Israel tank shell was responsible for the blast, noting that reporters were uncharacteristically banned from the area and the family refused to talk to them.

There have been sporadic border clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants since Israel ended a devastating three-week offensive in Gaza in January, aimed at stopping Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Comments

[driven989]

Another precious life taken away by a brutal, illegal occupation before it ever hada chance to begin. Of course, because it's a Palestinian life, it barely gets mentioned in the news. If this was an Israeli girl, this would be headline news: we would know her name, her entire life story, and see images of her grieving family. The media's systematic humanization of Israelis versus its dehumanizations of Palestinians is a large reason why Americans tend to sympathize with the Israeli side.

And for those of you that get on this blog and blame Palestinians for this girl's death, you have no moral compass.

Because this comment has to do with the Palestinian issue, I am sure it will have to be reviewed by HuffPo to make sure Israel has not been offended.

[ModernTimes1]

"The Israel Defense Forces said soldiers came under Palestinian fire across the border in central Gaza and returned fire."

It is too bad Palestinians do not value the lives of their own people during this war with Israel.

[CigarGod]

So, you can tell when the IDF tells the truth?...or do you think they always do?

What basis do you have for making the second statement?

[BackToFight]

It's not really a war. It's an illegal occupation of a civilian population, which makes lame attempts at defending itself against one of the world's premier armed forces.

[arle]

The IDF said they weren't targeting civilians and yet, not only did 300 Palestinian children die in Operation Cast Lead from the direct onslaught alone, but the entire UNWRA warehouse of relief supplies was burned to the ground.

And it's the Palestinians who don't value human life, huh.

[LeeCalif]

Israel has taken Americans prisoner.
Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox News

This Sunday (July 5th), beginning at 2:00 Pacific, or at 3:00 Central on 1360am, Rational Radio in Dallas, Cindy offers a special show about former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, presently imprisoned in Israel for attempting to deliver humanitartian aid to the people of Gaza. Read about it here http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/02/cynthia-mckinney-remains-imprisoned-israel-gaza-bound-boat-seized/ Also imprisoned is Nobel Prize winner Mairead Maguire (future Soapbox Guest). Ms. McKinney said the boat was on a humanitarian mission and was not in Israeli waters. The Israeli military said the boat was trying to enter Gaza illegally. Cindy presents a live interview with Ms. McKinney from an Israeli jail, plus other worthwhile info.

You can call the Whitehouse at 202-456-1111, and the Israeli Embassy in DC at 202-364-5500. You can email the Israeli Embassy in Tel Aviv at amctelaviv­@state.gov to urge the safe and speedy release of the "Free Gaza 21" (and throw in that you would also like the seige of Gaza to end while you are at it).

[ModernTimes1]

Lucky for U.S. she was booted her out of Congress. I guess American electorate is smart after all.
Hope they keep her a little longer. Let's say couple of years.

[rubberstamp]

Thats a fair punishment for trying to secure food and aid to a people under siege

[Prattvictory2]

The Republicans owe Cindy Sheehan an apology.

The same people who claimed they were spit on returning from Vietnam spit on a grieving mother.

[petera63]

"A 17- year-old girl was killed in a blast in central Gaza near the Israeli border Thursday, Hamas security officials said, charging that an Israeli tank shell was to blame."

"Other Palestinians raised doubts about the report that an Israel tank shell was responsible for the blast, noting that reporters were uncharacte­ristically banned from the area and the family refused to talk to them."

Uncharacte­ristically banned? Sounds like a "work accident" (when a bomb explodes prematurely in the hands of the bomb-maker).

[arle]

It would be just like you to pretend like yet another Palestinian didn't die at the hands of the IDF. Your capacity for denial is reaching absurd levels.

Here's some reporting on from a news agency on the ground over there:
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=38978

[petera63]

Yeah, I checked Ynetnews.com, quoted on that site, and there's nothing, I repeat, nothing on this subject there. So the question is, why did maannews.net lie about that?
I know the answer.
You?

[Paula Ann]

If an Is.raeli teenager had been killed, the headline would have been "Isr.aeli girl m.urdered by terr.orists"

[CigarGod]

Have a cigar.

[arle]

It would have also given her name, too. It's Hiam Abu A'yesh,
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=38978

[BackToFight]

great point.

[DD1Prime]

The Palestinians first have to speak with a united voice and one government before any peace can be negotiated or sustained - with anyone. Hamas has pledged to "destroy" Israel - so peace with them will never happen. As for Abbas and the West Bank government - thier dependency on foreign aid makes them as corrupt and distant from its people as Arafat's kleptocracy was.

What will a Palestinaian nation look like if it is founded before the civil war among the Palestianians is settled? Unviable and short-lived.

[arle]

Then maybe the US State Department shouldn't have sabotaged the unity government formed by the Palestinian Parliament in 2006.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/04/gaza200804

What does that have to do with the IDF murdering Palestinian civilians, incidentally?

[rubberstamp]

well apparently you can do anything if you make the claim that your enemy has no right to the negotiating table.

[who38]

IDF assignment?

[rubberstamp]

Israeli terrorists are no peace partner they will say the word but steal aND AND KILL CIVILIANS every day until they can claim Gaza and all of the west bank as sovereign territory.

[LeeCalif]

More kidnappings by Israel.

http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/hope-fleet-news/979-we-are-not-the-story-its-not-just-our-21-kidnapped-passengers

[larce1948]

That this tragic and cruel incident is even mentioned is progress. Keep taking pictures until even the smarmmy US media must admit that Israel is governed by brutal thugs. Read "Animal Farm" lately?

[BackToFight]

I'm sure both the 17 Year old and the 3 year old were known and wanted terrorists, each bent on destroying the state if Israel.

[Discipulus04]

..as the narrative will have it

[Macready]

but of course . . . if israeli propaganda is to be believed . . which of course it shouldn't be