A few days ago it went out all over the wires: the Israelis had again wantonly murdered Palestinian civilians. AFP headlined its story “Gaza boy, five others killed in Israeli raid” — most everyone blamed Israel, and the Palestinian jihadists intensified their rocket attacks on Israel in response. But now it has come to light that this family was yet another victim of the Palestinian practice of basing its activities in civilian areas — precisely so that it can draw retaliatory fire that might hit civilians and then be used for propaganda purposes.
“IDF releases clip clearing itself of blame for Gaza family deaths,” from Haaretz (thanks to Ruth King):
The Israel Defense Forces on Friday released a video exonerating itself of responsibility for the deaths of Palestinian woman and her four children in Beit Hanun on Monday, which the clip shows were caused by the detonation of explosives carried by a Gaza militant hit in an Israel Air Force strike.
Israel and Hamas have exchanged accusations since the incident over blame for the civilians’ deaths in the northern Gaza Strip town.
The IDF panel investigating the deaths, the target of the IAF strike on Monday was a group of four Palestinian gunmen which had been identified.
IDF Spokesperson’s Office said the panel concluded that, “one gunman was targeted and hit from the air. As a result a strong secondary explosion occurred” when ammunition and weaponry he was carrying in a back pack was detonated.
This “secondary” blast was what killed the mother and her four small children, according to the Spokesperson’s Office statement, which continued: “The second gunman was targeted and hit as well, causing an even bigger explosion … Both explosions were significantly stronger than those caused by the IDF attacks against them.”
Four militants, armed with weapons, are clearly seen walking near the home in the clip.
The video formed the principal evidence for the panel, which was appointed by GOC Southern Command Major General Yoav Galant.
Army spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovitz, said the militants were going out to battle in the middle of residential neighborhood.
An Israeli human rights group had called for a criminal probe, saying the military appeared to have violated international law by firing close to the family’s home.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert voiced “deep remorse” for the victims, but said Hamas militants operating in civilian areas had exposed non-combatants to danger and turned them “into an inseparable part of the war.”
Indeed.