Israeli force moves into Gaza near crossing
19 June 2007By Nidal al-Mughrabi
GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli tanks crossed into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday near a key crossing point where some 150 Palestinians have been trapped while trying to flee from the territory since Hamas Islamists took it over.
An Israeli army spokesman said the tanks entered Gaza to protect the Erez crossing, where a gunmen from Gaza shot dead a security officer loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and wounded several others on Monday.
Israeli civilian medics have been put on standby to evacuate wounded and ill Palestinians at the crossing who seek to flee to the West Bank or to Israeli hospitals amid violence between gunmen from Hamas and Abbas's Fatah group.
An Israeli army bulldozer was seen razing concrete barriers at Erez. Several water bottles were thrown from a tank to Palestinians.
The Israeli military spokesman said the army had not begun any evacuation efforts.
The operation came ahead of talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House. The Israeli leader aims to bolster Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate.
Hamas gunmen took over the Gaza Strip last week after deadly clashes with security forces loyal to Abbas, the Fatah leader.
Dozens of Palestinians at Erez were seen sitting and lying down on the dusty ground, some barefoot or in casts. Children sat behind luggage and others in the arms of their mothers.
"This is the fifth day for us in the crossing," said Um Mohammed. "We will not be able to come back to Gaza. Internal fighting chased us to Erez after we fled from Gaza. We fled Gaza because we are not safe -- everybody is threatened."
An aide to Olmert quoted him on Monday as saying Israel would not intervene or move forces but would "take into consideration all humanitarian needs in Gaza".
The refugees at Erez have also been caught in the crossfire during shootouts between the Israeli army and militants.
"Yesterday, the Israeli army fired a tear gas (canister) that fell near me and we were suffocated," said Tawfiq Yaghi, who sought to bring his wife to Israel for chemotherapy. "It is a humanitarian case and I must be allowed. My wife is dying."
Israeli civilian medics have been put on standby to evacuate wounded and ill Palestinians at the crossing who seek to flee to the West Bank or to Israeli hospitals amid violence between gunmen from Hamas and Abbas's Fatah group.
An Israeli army bulldozer was seen razing concrete barriers at Erez. Several water bottles were thrown from a tank to Palestinians.
The Israeli military spokesman said the army had not begun any evacuation efforts.
The operation came ahead of talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House. The Israeli leader aims to bolster Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate.
Hamas gunmen took over the Gaza Strip last week after deadly clashes with security forces loyal to Abbas, the Fatah leader.
Dozens of Palestinians at Erez were seen sitting and lying down on the dusty ground, some barefoot or in casts. Children sat behind luggage and others in the arms of their mothers.
"This is the fifth day for us in the crossing," said Um Mohammed. "We will not be able to come back to Gaza. Internal fighting chased us to Erez after we fled from Gaza. We fled Gaza because we are not safe -- everybody is threatened."
An aide to Olmert quoted him on Monday as saying Israel would not intervene or move forces but would "take into consideration all humanitarian needs in Gaza".
The refugees at Erez have also been caught in the crossfire during shootouts between the Israeli army and militants.
"Yesterday, the Israeli army fired a tear gas (canister) that fell near me and we were suffocated," said Tawfiq Yaghi, who sought to bring his wife to Israel for chemotherapy. "It is a humanitarian case and I must be allowed. My wife is dying."
posted by HRM Deborah of Israel and the Messenger of Peace at 7:01 PM
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