Gazans die as Israel tests 'nasty' weapons

Gaza: Israeli warplanes pummelled Palestinian homes and ground troops edged closer to the Gaza Strip's urban heartland on Monday as two Norwegian medics returning from the territory charged Israel with testing a new "extremely nasty" type of weapon during its offensive.

Mads Gilbert, one of the medics, told reporters they had seen clear signs that "a new generation of very powerful small explosives" called Dense Inert Metal Explosive (Dime) were being used in Gaza.

The charge came as Israel weighed a decision to escalate its offensive despite intensifying public protests. Saudi Arabia accused Israel of "racist extermination" in its attack on Gaza and expressed hope that incoming US president Barack Obama would work to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

More than 20 Palestinians were killed on Monday, officials said, bringing the death toll to 917.
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The UN Human Rights Council voted to condemn the Israeli attacks and set up a probe into "grave" human rights violations by Israeli forces.

Eyewitness account

For Mustafa, a Gaza resident, it was another day of surviving Israeli bombs and bullets.

Mustafa, who did not want his full name disclosed, fled with his family to his brother-in-law's house in the Rimal neighborhood to escape the shelling. There are now 15 people in that two-room apartment - with no water. But, at least 'the explosions do not sound as loud', he says.

After 15 days they could not take the pressure of tanks entering the Sheikh Ajleen neighborhood, the incessant shooting all night long and the shelling from the sea.

The leaflets dumped from helicopters, calling on people to leave their homes have been unnerving. But, the most frightening were the missiles that hit the nearby apartments and killed the neighbours, including Yasser Arafat's official photographer and his family.

The streets of Gaza are full of people fleeing with whatever belongings they can carry.

Mustafa and his family have joined the statistics of the newly displaced, whose numbers increase by the day. Some 20,000 have found refuge in UNRWA schools. Many more have moved in with relatives and friends: in Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Beit Hanun and the Nuseirat refugee camp.

The military is steadily forcing the areas known as "population concentrations" to move inward, "clearing" areas on the periphery - first the agricultural land, and now the neighbourhoods bordering them - and pushing people into an increasingly smaller territory.

It is hard to count all the dead. As entire families are being wiped out, people are doing their best to avoid becoming a statistic in the rising death toll.

According to me if every country looks after his/her own contry's welfare, regarding good jobs for youngster, old age homes, pension plans, women's education and family welfare, I hope no one has the time to fight with one another. Instead of looking at our troubles, we are fighting each other and killing innocent people.
Vikasa Jain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 13, 2009, 13:06

Israelis need to be taught how to behave with human lives. What they are doing in the Palestine is far too much, taking the lives of children and innocent people.
Said
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 13, 2009, 10:42

How could this be happening? How can we all be living in this state of affairs when one country, despite the world protesting, despite the United Nations condemning, despite all the human rights organisations appealing, still enters an 18th day of brutality? Why is it so easy to call for summits and yet so difficult to actually act upon it? Why is it so easy to condemn and yet so difficult to impose a better solution? Are the countries who propose peace not sure of what they are asking for? Why can?t the world unite for this one cause? Why are we then screaming about saving the environment when we can?t even stand up for the right of living for human beings?
Mubin Mohammad
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: January 13, 2009, 09:43

Israel and USA are clearly showing double standards. The Muslim world should unite and fight back as children, who have not done anything, continue to be victimised.
S R Ahmad
Karachi,Pakistan
Posted: January 13, 2009, 09:05