His Airstrike Killed 42 Civilians On Sunday, Israel: Accidentally
JAKARTA - At least 42 Palestinians were killed, including 10 children, in an airstrike carried out by the Israeli military in Gaza on Sunday.
The death toll in Gaza has soared to 192, including 58 children, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, amid intensive Israeli airstrikes and artillery since fighting erupted last Monday. Meanwhile, ten people were killed in Israel, including two children, Israeli authorities said.
In homes destroyed during an Israeli attack in a Gaza neighborhood on Sunday morning, Palestinians worked to clear debris from one of the destroyed buildings, finding the bodies of a woman and a man.
'These are horrible moments that no one can describe. It's like an earthquake that hit the area," Mahmoud Hmaid, a father of seven who helped with rescue efforts, told Reuters on Monday.
The Israeli military said the civilian casualties were accidental. According to them, the airstrikes were aimed at attacking the underground tunnel system belonging to Hamas militants who control Gaza.
"The underground military facility collapsed, causing the foundations of civilian houses on it to also collapse, causing unintended casualties," the Israeli military statement said.
Instead, Hamas called the airstrikes pre-planned killings.
In Gaza, Hamas Spokesman Hazem Qassem said: "As always, Israel is trying to mislead public opinion through these lies in an attempt to justify crimes and escape responsibility."
Separately, another Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, told Reuters what happened this morning was a pre-planned assassination.
"Images of what happened and from the scene prove that the buildings were directly targeted, which caused them to collapse," he said by phone from Istanbul, Turkey.
Nevertheless, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, his party will continue to use full force against the Palestinians.
Netanyahu also defended Israeli airstrikes on Saturday that destroyed the 12-story building where the Associated Press and al Jazeera TV network are based. He said the structure also houses the militant group's intelligence office and thus becomes a legitimate target.
"We act now and for as long as necessary, to restore your tranquility and tranquility, citizens of Israel. It will take time," Netanyahu said in a televised speech after meeting with his security cabinet.