Hell in the Holy Land
Families’ horror after new bomb blitz
AS the bloody conflict in Israel and Palestine rages on, terrified civilians on both sides have told how they live in fear of becoming casualties of the airstrikes.
They spoke out last night as it emerged that Israel launched a deadly “deception” operation against Hamas that is feared to have killed hundreds of fighters.
On Thursday evening, the Israeli Defence Force tweeted they were attacking from the ground and air.
Hamas leaders were fooled into thinking that meant a ground invasion and ordered fighters into a network of tunnels in Gaza to prepare to intercept Israeli forces.
Israel then unleashed huge bunker-buster missiles, destroying
miles of so-called “Metro” tunnels. The Israeli military has put the number of Hamas fighters killed in attacks at between 80 and 90.
But sources told the Mirror last night that the toll may run into several hundred.
One source said: “I believe it may have been at least 200 or more.”
Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said: “What we were targeting is an elaborate system of tunnels that operatives of Hamas use in order to move, in order to hide, for cover.”
At least 119 people have been killed in Gaza, including 31 children and 19 women, with 830 others wounded. The toll in Israel is eight, including two children.
Clashes between Arab and Jewish groups in cities across Israel have raised fears of civil war.
Israel’s military said a Palestinian tried to stab a soldier near the West Bank city of Ramallah. The soldier shot dead the attacker. In northern and eastern parts of Gaza, the sound of artillery fire and explosions echoed early yesterday.
Here, we talk to people from both sides united by fear…