President Bush-style shoe attack on New York mayor
- 00:01:14
- ITN
President Bush-style shoe attack on New York mayor
A United Nations aid agency has suspended operations in the Gaza Strip because of the risk posed to its workers by Israeli forces. Earlier, two Palestinian forklift workers were killed by Israeli shelling as a convoy for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) approached the Erez crossing with Israel. On Tuesday, three UNRWA-run schools in Gaza were hit by Israeli fire, killing more than 45 Palestinians who had been taking shelter from the violence. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross has said Israel is breaking international law by blocking emergency teams in Gaza from helping wounded Palestinians. Workers for the organisation found four starving children sitting next to their dead mothers and other corpses in a house bombed by Israel. The ICRC said: "They were too weak to stand up on their own. One man was also found alive, too weak to stand up. In all there were at least 12 corpses lying on mattresses." Pierre Wettach, ICRC chief for Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, said: "This is a shocking incident. The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded. "Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestinian Red Crescent to assist the wounded." In another house, the team found 15 survivors of Israeli shelling including several wounded. Three corpses were found in another home. Israeli soldiers posted 80m away ordered the rescue team to leave the area, which the ICRC said they refused to do. It has demanded that safe access be granted for Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances to return to evacuate more wounded. There are also reports that Israeli tanks have been running over bodies - including that of a baby. An Israeli offensive launched in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on December 27 has drawn increasing international criticism over mounting civilian casualties. At least 700 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 200 children and 90 women. The number of wounded has risen to over 3,100 with nearly half women and children. Earlier, Israel launched shells into Lebanon in response to rockets fired into its territory which wounded two people. A military spokesman said Israel aimed "a pinpoint response at the source of fire". An Israeli security source said the army retaliated, firing five artillery shells. On Thursday, Pope Benedict condemned the use of violence by Israel and Hamas a day after one of his senior aides angered Jews by calling the strip "a big concentration camp".
ITN | January 8, 2009
