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CNN Live At Daybreak
Israeli Offensive in Gaza Kills 11
Aired October 07, 2002 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It has been a violent day in the Middle East. Israel forces, today, raided a refugee camp in southern Gaza. Palestinian sources say 12 people have been killed; 115 hurt.
We want to get more now from Jerrold Kessel, who is live in Jerusalem.
Jerrold -- what's up?
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, a very violent night.
The Israelis say their action into the neighborhood of Khan Younis, which they say is a Hamas stronghold, was one of those preemptive actions of the type they've been carrying out very frequently recently to try to thwart militants. And they went in with a sizable force of several dozen tanks and armored personnel carriers, backed up by helicopter gunships.
But here, in contrast to earlier such raids, most of the dead and the wounded, and many of those wounded are said to be in critical condition, came, as the Israeli forces were apparently about to wind up their ground operation. That's when a missile was fired from one of those helicopter gunships overhead into a crowd.
Now, Palestinians are saying that as the Israeli operation seemed to be ending, people came out of their homes and shelters, and that's when the missile slammed into the crowd, and at least 10 of the dead were there as a result of that missile strike.
The Israelis say they did fire that missile, but that it was a case of gunmen gathering in the streets and firing at the troops who were withdrawing, says the military commander in the region, and that is when the missile was fired.
There was also contentious argument about the casualties. The Palestinians saying they're all civilians, including teenage cousins. And the Israelis are saying many of the dead and wounded were gunmen.
Now, also charge and countercharge over later firing into the Khan Younis hospital. Palestinians say that Israeli fire rained into the hospital, as there was pandemonium and as people crowded there to try to ascertain the fate of their relatives, and that literally the Israeli fire came in through the windows, through the doors, through the walls even.
Israel admits to firing at the hospital, but says it was simply trying to silence the fire which had aimed from inside the hospital where three mortar bombs being fired against Israeli forces from inside that Khan Younis hospital.
But a very serious incident during the night in Khan Younis. There was, again, further firing this morning.
Hamas is vowing revenge. Palestinian Authority leaders are accusing Israel of trying to shoot down any new efforts to try to get back to the negotiating table. Israel says it was intended to be a limited operation, designed to thwart further terror activity in that region -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Jerrold Kessel reporting live from Jerusalem this morning. Thank you for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired October 7, 2002 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It has been a violent day in the Middle East. Israel forces, today, raided a refugee camp in southern Gaza. Palestinian sources say 12 people have been killed; 115 hurt.
We want to get more now from Jerrold Kessel, who is live in Jerusalem.
Jerrold -- what's up?
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, a very violent night.
The Israelis say their action into the neighborhood of Khan Younis, which they say is a Hamas stronghold, was one of those preemptive actions of the type they've been carrying out very frequently recently to try to thwart militants. And they went in with a sizable force of several dozen tanks and armored personnel carriers, backed up by helicopter gunships.
But here, in contrast to earlier such raids, most of the dead and the wounded, and many of those wounded are said to be in critical condition, came, as the Israeli forces were apparently about to wind up their ground operation. That's when a missile was fired from one of those helicopter gunships overhead into a crowd.
Now, Palestinians are saying that as the Israeli operation seemed to be ending, people came out of their homes and shelters, and that's when the missile slammed into the crowd, and at least 10 of the dead were there as a result of that missile strike.
The Israelis say they did fire that missile, but that it was a case of gunmen gathering in the streets and firing at the troops who were withdrawing, says the military commander in the region, and that is when the missile was fired.
There was also contentious argument about the casualties. The Palestinians saying they're all civilians, including teenage cousins. And the Israelis are saying many of the dead and wounded were gunmen.
Now, also charge and countercharge over later firing into the Khan Younis hospital. Palestinians say that Israeli fire rained into the hospital, as there was pandemonium and as people crowded there to try to ascertain the fate of their relatives, and that literally the Israeli fire came in through the windows, through the doors, through the walls even.
Israel admits to firing at the hospital, but says it was simply trying to silence the fire which had aimed from inside the hospital where three mortar bombs being fired against Israeli forces from inside that Khan Younis hospital.
But a very serious incident during the night in Khan Younis. There was, again, further firing this morning.
Hamas is vowing revenge. Palestinian Authority leaders are accusing Israel of trying to shoot down any new efforts to try to get back to the negotiating table. Israel says it was intended to be a limited operation, designed to thwart further terror activity in that region -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Jerrold Kessel reporting live from Jerusalem this morning. Thank you for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
