- Title: GAZA: U.N children's summer camp in Gaza vandalised by masked gunmen
- Date: 24th May 2010
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (MAY 23, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE OF U.N SUMMER CAMP U.N FLAG VARIOUS OF DESTRUCTION CAUSED TO CAMP IBRAHIM ELEWA, GUARD AT THE CAMP, SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IBRAHIM ELEWA A GUARD AT THE CAMP, SAYING: "They chained my hands and covered my face with my jacket. They burnt the area and then they threw me outside." GROUP OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT DAMAGE VARIOUS OF JOHN GING, UNRWA'S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS IN GAZA, AND OTHERS INSPECTING THE DAMAGE U.N FLAG GING APPROACHING REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNRWA'S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS IN GAZA, SAYING: "There's no doubt in my mind that this is vandalism linked to a certain degree of extremism. It is an attack on the happiness of children." GING TALKING IN NEWS CONFERENCE TAHER AL-NONO, SPOKESMAN FOR GAZA'S HAMAS GOVERNMENT, WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TAHER AL-NONO, SPOKESMAN FOR GAZA'S HAMAS GOVERNMENT, SAYING "We condemn this attack and we assure you that the government will follow up on this incident in order to track down the perpetrators. We emphasise the fact that we protect discipline and security in the Strip and we will not let anyone disturb the security and stability which we have ensured." AL-NONO WALKING AWAY DESTRUCTION AT CAMP VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXAMINING DAMAGE WIDE OF DAMAGED CAMP
- Embargoed: 8th June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVA8G89P1CZYAHDTIZSFO0N6JIQ4
- Story Text: Masked gunmen vandalised a U.N-run summer camp for children in the Gaza Strip on Sunday (May 23) after militants accused the world body of promoting immorality in the religiously conservative territory.
About 20 men, some carrying assault rifles, tore up large plastic tents and burned storage facilities at the site, where 250,000 children are due to attend camp sessions, said Ibrahim Elewa, a private guard who was on duty when the incident happened.
"They chained my hands and covered my face with my jacket. They burnt the area and then they threw me outside," Elewa told Reuters Television at the site in Gaza City.
Two days earlier, a previously unknown group, "The Free of the Homeland", issued a statement criticising the camp's organiser, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), for teaching fitness, dancing and 'immorality' to schoolgirls.
Hardline Muslims, or Salafis, whose agenda of global or holy war against the West goes against Hamas's nationalist goals, have stepped up attacks in the Gaza Strip over the past few, targeting Hamas security men and offices.
John Ging, UNRWA's director of operations in Gaza, denounced the attack on the children's camp.
"There's no doubt in my mind that this is vandalism linked to a certain degree of extremism. It is an attack on the happiness of children," Ging told reporters at the camp.
Ging pledged the summer camp, in which boys and girls will be separated in accordance with local traditions and values, would be held as planned.
Taher al-Nono, spokesman for Gaza's Hamas government, said the authorities would search for the attackers and bring them to justice.
"We condemn this attack and we assure you that the government will follow up on this incident in order to track down the perpetrators. We emphasise the fact that we protect discipline and security in the Strip and we will not let anyone disturb the security and stability which we have ensured," he said.
Hamas wrested control of the Gaza Strip from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah movement in 2007.
The Gaza Strip is under an Israeli-led blockade and the West shuns Hamas over its refusal to recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept existing interim Israeli-Palestinian peace deals. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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