08 November 2006

D and D's man in Gaza speaks to BBC News from bloody Beit Hanoun


Eyewitness: Gaza bloodshed

Israeli tank fire has killed 18 Palestinians in their homes in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.
The attack came a day after Israeli troops ended a six-day incursion into the town. The offensive was aimed, Israel said, at stopping Palestinian militant rocket fire into Israel from Gaza.

Nihad Tiha, a teacher from Beit Hanoun, describes what he saw early on Wednesday morning.

Last night was quiet in Beit Hanoun. But at five or six this morning, shells hit our neighbours while we were all asleep.

They are just 300m away from us. Eighteen people killed from two families. And many, many people now injured.

Lots of people have gone to the hospital to see what's happening to their relatives.

I know these people. They are my neighbours. We are like one big family here.

Yesterday they killed my aunt. She lives in eastern Jabaliya camp [near Beit Hanoun]. She was cleaning inside her home when a shell hit the room she was in. She died instantly.

I am at her house now with her family. Many people are visiting us and giving us condolences.

The last few days have been very difficult.

There were 16 of us in the house; my wife, my son, my extended family. We spent all our time inside.

We had no gas for cooking and little food. There was no water to wash in.

My son is two years old. He was so scared; he was like an animal in the zoo, moving from corner to corner.

I moved them all to my uncle's in Gaza City this morning. It's too dangerous here.

There is tension, stress and nervousness here.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/talking_point/6124498.stm

Published: 2006/11/08 12:12:27 GMT