MIDDLE EAST: Gaza residents accuse Israel of not fully opening the "humanitarian corridor" as military operations enter 17th day

Record ID: 792128

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: Gaza residents accuse Israel of not fully opening the "humanitarian corridor" as military operations enter 17th day
  • Date: 12th January 2009
  • Summary: RAFAH, GAZA (JANUARY 12, 2009) (REUTERS) WIDE OF RAFAH MORE OF RAFAH IN SOUTHERN GAZA EXPLOSION SMOKE BILLOWING OVER RAFAH WIDE OF AMBULANCE DRIVING IN RAFAH MORE OF SMOKE BILLOWING WOMAN CARRYING BLANKETS OVER RUBBLE MAN AND YOUTHS CLEANING RUBBLE VARIOUS OF DAMAGE BURNT BUILDING - SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ELECTRICITY CABLE MORE OF CLEAN UP - DAMAGE WIDE OF AREA TARGETED BY ISRAELI MISSILES
  • Embargoed: 27th January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVABOKVW0C1TLYP58ZR5AYW1RITO
  • Story Text: Residents of the besieged Gaza Strip say Israel is breaking its own temporary ceasefire meant to allow aid to flow through a "humanitarian corridor." Gazans say there is no let up in Israel's offensive in the Hamas-controlled territory during the daily, three-hour window Israel declared to allow people to stock up on provisions - with attacks continuing from ground, sea and air.
    Residents in Gaza accused Israel on Monday (January 12) of not following its own decision to hold fire for three hours to allow Gazans to shop for food and to allow humanitarian aid to enter the strip.
    Israel last week announced it would suspend operations for three hours each day to allow aid to flow through a "humanitarian corridor."
    There was anger on the streets of Gaza City as residents rushed to stock up before fighting started again.
    "They say three hours, they said three hours as you stated, the girls went to the Salateen area, they opened fire at them so they had to come back," said Hikmat AlAtar a northern Gaza resident.
    "This is all talk for the media but the truth is that the Jews don't have time for stopping the shooting or invading or killing, at any given moment they will go and kill and all this is just for the media," said Mahdi AlHilo, another resident.
    "They say they going to stop the shooting but they are not honest they are shelling and brining down the homes," said Im Ahmed who fled her northern Gaza home.
    Across the border at the Kerem Shalom crossing, more than a hundred trucks loaded with food and medicine were allowed to enter under tight security.
    "Today we are supposed to get 150 trucks of aid into the Palestinian side, in fact we are facing attempts of smuggling of products that are not for humanitarian purposes. Trying to smuggle laptops and other electronic items that are advanced and in my opinion can be used, therefore they are still being inspected," said Ari Shaken, the Israeli manager of the crossing.
    Israeli troops fought fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters on Monday, keeping military pressure on the Islamist group while avoiding urban warfare that would complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war.
    An Israeli military spokesman said army reservists had been thrown into the offensive that Israel launched 17 days ago with the declared aim of ending Hamas cross-border rocket attacks.
    With the Palestinian death toll nearing 900 and world pressure for a ceasefire mounting, Israeli forces might launch a full-scale attack on Hamas smuggling tunnels on Gaza's border with Egypt, and perhaps a wider urban operation.
    On Sunday (January 11) night, Israeli warplanes bombed the border town of Rafah, forcing residents to flee.
    Local residents have reported widespread attacks in and around Rafah which is the nerve-centre of smuggling operations using a vast network of tunnels under Gaza's border with Egypt.
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