Israelis fire on crowds in Gaza

At least eight Palestinians have been killed when Israel forces fired on a crowd in Rafah in southern Gaza.
Thousands of people were demonstrating against a massive operation in the refugee camp in the town.

Two children were among the dead, and more than 30 people were injured, Palestinian medical workers said

SNIP

Witnesses said helicopters, tanks and troops with machine-guns at marchers heading towards the Tel Sultan area where the Israel raids have been concentrated in the last two day.

The shooting come shortly after reports that thousands of Tel Sultan residents were complying with an Israeli demand that they to surrender.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3728681.stm

Washington Post

-snip-

An estimated 3,000 people were participating in the demonstration against the Israeli invasion of the nearby Tel Sultan neighborhood in Rafah refugee camp.

The army had no immediate comment.

The strike came as Israeli troops stormed homes in this Palestinian refugee camp on Wednesday in an ongoing search for militants and illegal weapons, confining tens of thousands of residents to houses without electricity or water.

The invasion, launched Tuesday, knocked out power in the Rafah refugee camp, home to an estimated 90,000 people, local Palestinian officials said. By Wednesday, they said, water service had been halted as well.

Twenty Palestinians -- the highest single-day death toll in more than two years -- were killed on the first day of the army's "Operation Rainbow" offensive. Among the dead were a 13-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister.

International condemnation mounted against the operation, and the United States said it was asking Israel for "clarification." The United Nations and European Union demanded an end to the incursion, which Israeli security officials said would last at least a week.

-more-

Is there any way to legitimize this brutal action? I don't think so.

edit: sorry, WP link to AP story

n/t

I/P stuff goes in the I/P forum.