Israel snubs UN over Gaza assault, death toll now at 1,374

More than 1,374 people have been killed in 24 days of violence.Speaking at the start of a special cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not accept any ceasefire that did not allow troops to continue destroying tunnels used by militants for attacking Israel.“Until now, we have destroyed dozens of […]

More than 1,374 people have been killed in 24 days of violence.
Speaking at the start of a special cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not accept any ceasefire that did not allow troops to continue destroying tunnels used by militants for attacking Israel.
“Until now, we have destroyed dozens of terror tunnels and we are determined to finish this mission — with or without a ceasefire,” he said at the start of a special cabinet meeting.
“So I will not accept any (truce) proposal that does not allow the IDF (army) to complete this work for the security of Israel’s citizens.”
His remarks came after the army confirmed mobilising another 16,000 additional reservists, hiking the total number called up to 86,000. Israel does not say how many troops are currently engaged in the fighting inside the Gaza Strip.
Following the shelling of a UN school in northern Gaza on Wednesday which killed 16, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay slammed Israel for its attacks on homes, schools and hospitals, accusing it of “deliberate defiance” of international law.
“None of this appears to me to be accidental,” she told reporters.
There appears to be deliberate defiance of obligations that international law imposes on Israel.”
The shelling of the school also drew sharp condemnation from UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who described it as “reprehensible” as well as from Washington.
But the Israeli army suggested the deaths may have been the result of a misfired Palestinian rocket. “What happened is still not clear at this stage,” military spokesman General Moti Almoz told army radio.
“It is not clear if the school was hit by fire from IDF soldiers or from Hamas terrorists,” he said.