Thursday, January 15, 2009

IDF targets hospital, UN compound and journalists

Ha'aretz reports: The Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City was engulfed in flames on Thursday after it was caught in the fighting between Israel Defense Forces troops and Hamas.

Just before, the IDF shelled the main United Nation aid compound in the city of Gaza, drawing harsh criticism from visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and a subsequent apology from Defense Minister Ehud Barak. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said its compound, where up to 700 Palestinians were being sheltered, was hit twice by fire and three staff members were wounded.

Another explosion blasted a tower block that houses the offices of Reuters and several other media organisations, wounding a journalist for the Abu Dhabi television channel (...)