PressTV 20 Aprile 2009

Israel's three-week war on the Gaza Strip left 437 children dead and 1872 more wounded, the Ministry of Social Affairs in Gaza has said.

Ahmad Al Kurd, Minister of Social Affairs, said on Friday that the Israeli army targeted women and children, and that its shelling targeted homes, hospitals, educational facilities and even mosques, International Middle East Media Center reported.

The killing and wounding of large numbers of children proves that the Israeli forces targeted the civilian areas, he added.

According to the report, Israel's offensive to the blockaded strip also left 1500 children orphans, as they lost a parent or both parents in the attacks, and thousands of them suffered psychological problems due to witnessing scenes of death and destructions.

Israel has been accused of committing war crimes during the war in Gaza, including the use of deadly white phosphorus shells in densely populated civilian areas and the use of civilians as human shields.

Israel initially denied using the controversial weapon. However, mounting evidence later forced Israeli officials to admit having employed the shells.

The three-week Israeli assault killed 1,330 Palestinians and wounded 5,450 others -- a large number of them women and children.

MSH/AKM/DT

Source >  PressTV