Talk:United Nations suspends operations in Gaza after schools and trucks are hit by Israeli forces

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NPOV[edit]

This is a very touchy issue for many people, and finding the right balance for WN:NPOV can be hard to do. However, in my opinion, this article exceedingly emphasizes attacks on schools as if that is the only thing Israel is doing. Casualties among Hamas militants (the stated target of the ground offensive) is seemingly deliberately omitted while highlighting only civilian casualties. Good luck in balancing this appropriately. --SVTCobra 02:10, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Most of the casualties are civilians, there are no statistics out showing deaths that are supposively Hamas militants. This is called reporting the news, I can't help what conclusion you draw from this article.Soapy (talk) 04:52, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Up until Wednesday there were several reports saying that up to a quarter of casualties are civilians. (The impression I got was that writers collated their figures from UN agencies, NGOs and Gaza hospital officials.) These estimates seem to have dried up, despite 2 more days of mounting casualty reports: do you think it will add to the balance if we report these older figures? I am concerned about the verifiability of these estimates. I have to confess that I see civilian casualties as more newsworthy than combatants. --InfantGorilla (talk) 09:45, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Updates[edit]

More recent or breaking updates for this or a follow-up article:

  • compromise UN Security Council ceasefire resolution passed with US abstention
  • UNOCHA report/allegation about Tuesday bombing of IDF-arranged civilian shelter

--InfantGorilla (talk) 08:35, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sources for my suggestions:

BBC is the only source I can find via Google for the UNOCHA report. --InfantGorilla (talk) 09:35, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I missed this follow up article in development:

--InfantGorilla (talk) 11:00, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

General Thoughts[edit]

The news in TV adressed UN strictly instructed IDF about the schools coordinates earlier. In todays news there are 110 civillians gathered in a building, then targeted by IDF, resulted 30 civillian deaths. The results are obvious, stating results are neutral already because IDF only claims they take precautions against civillian harms and they are sorry about it after they killed hundreds of civillians including dozens of children. Yet it might have been better, if report had mention at least a summary on what Israeli spokesmen say about these civillian harm. So if someone provide such info as a link, I would support adding them into the report. Yet again whatever they say the civillian casualties are obviously indicates they have been targetted. Kasaalan (talk) 13:49, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/1/8/headlines Soapy (talk) 20:54, 9 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Propaganda war: trusting what we see Kasaalan (talk) 12:25, 26 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

New UN Accusations Against Deliberate Civillian Targetting[edit]

Israel pulls out of Gaza leaving 110 dead

War in Gaza: Israel accused of killing 30 after shelling safe house

The United Nations has accused Israel of evacuating scores of Palestinians into a house in the suburbs of Gaza City, only to shell the property 24 hours later, killing some 30 people.

In a report published today on what it called "one of the gravest incidents" of the 14-day conflict, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) complained that the Israeli Defence Force then prevented medical teams from entering the area to evacuate the wounded, including young children.

The Israeli military said it was investigating the claim but had no knowledge of the incident.

Citing "several testimonies" - but without identifying its sources - OCHA said that Israeli foot soldiers evacuated around 110 Palestinians into a house in Zeitun, south of Gaza City, on Sunday. Half of them were children.

"Twenty-four hours later, Israeli forces shelled the home repeatedly, killing approximately 30," OCHA said. "Those who survived and were able walked two kilometres to Salah Ed Din road before being transported to the hospital in civilian vehicles. Three children, the youngest of whom was five months old, died upon arrival at the hospital."