UN official voices dismay at latest deadly Israeli fire against Palestinian refugee camp

Following fresh Israeli military actions today at a Palestinian refugee camp, which left seven people dead, the head of a major United Nations relief agency in the region, Peter Hansen, voiced his opposition to the unbalanced use of force against civilian targets.

"I am deeply dismayed and saddened by the loss of life in the refugee camp and the serious damage caused to UNRWA and Palestinian Authority schools," said Mr. Hansen, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. "This is another case of disproportionate force being used against civilian targets, including schools full of children."

According to UNRWA, Israeli tanks directed heavy fire at shelters in the Rafah refugee camp in a clash with Palestinians protesting the erection of a new Israeli military watchtower.

Among the seven Palestinians who were killed, there were two children and two women who died as some of the shelters collapsed under the impact of tank shells, the Agency said. A further 27 Palestinians were reported injured, some critically.

In addition, heavy machine gun fire from tanks hit a UNRWA school and a Palestinian Authority school. Children in the UNRWA school had to be moved to the basement for safety. Later, a tank shell hit UNRWA's Rafah Preparatory Boys School and heavily damaged its laboratory. A tank shell also hit a Palestinian Authority school, but did not explode. No injuries were caused by the shelling as by that time the children had been sent home, the Agency said.