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CNN Live At Daybreak

Conflict in the Middle East: Eight Dead in Israeli Attack

Aired July 31, 2001 - 08:09   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, we're going to go to the conflict in the Middle East. The focus today is the West Bank town of Nablus.

More on this latest attack that we are hearing about from Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna, who has been working his sources -- Mike.

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, a massive escalation in this ongoing conflict.

Palestinian Red Crescent sources say that at least eight people have been killed in an Israeli attack on an apartment building in the West Bank city of Nablus. On the second floor of that building, offices of the extremist Hamas organization. Six of those dead according to hospital officials were in the Hamas offices on the second floor of the seven-story building.

According to eyewitnesses, the damage was caused by Israeli fire. Dispute as to exactly what form the attack took. The governor of Nablus says that the missiles were fired from Israeli helicopters. Other eyewitnesses say that the damage was caused by shells fired by nearby Israeli tanks.

That confirmation though that at least eight people have been killed in what appears to be an Israeli attack. Among them -- a senior member of the Hamas movement, Jamal Mansour, who was among the dead taken to a hospital. Also killed in the attack -- two children, 8-years and 10-years old, who were standing outside the building waiting to be picked up after having attended a summer camp.

The Israeli government has declined to comment on the attack. And no comment yet either from the Israeli Defense Force. But according to Palestinian sources, at least eight people killed in an Israeli attack on the apartment building in the West Bank city of Nablus in what is clearly an increasing escalation in this ongoing conflict -- Carol.

LIN: Mike, can you put this all into the context for our domestic audience -- our American audience here. I mean, how does this play into the peace process? How does this play into the so- called cease-fire?

HANNA: Well, it plays into the peace process in the way that it prevents any peace process whatsoever. There has been a cease-fire purportedly in place for a number of weeks. However, it has never really taken any hold whatsoever on the grounds.

Both sides have committed themselves to the cease-fire. But each side has continued to blame the other for continuing contraventions of the cease-fire.

So to all intents and purposes, the cease-fire simply hasn't taken hold throughout the weeks in which it is supposed to have been in place. There have been Israelis killed. There have been Palestinians killed. And now within the last 48 hours, it seems that the conflict has moved to an even higher level with at least 14 people being killed over the past 48 hours in incidents of violence

So certainly, no sign whatsoever of any cease-fire, Carol. And equally no sign whatsoever of that peace process that the cease-fire was intended to bring about. By stopping the violence between the two parties, the intermediaries had hoped that they would get back to the negotiating table. However, all evidence that we have seen in recent days and recent weeks points to the fact that the parties are continuing their struggle on the ground and will not do so through talking -- Carol.

LIN: All right, clearly for now. Thank you very much, Mike Hanna reporting live from Jerusalem.

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