Israelis raid refugee camp

2003-10-12 17:35

Gaza City - About 1 500 people have been left homeless in Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza as a result of a major ongoing Israeli army operation, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said on Sunday.

"We have had very, very significant damage to the refugee camp.

"This is well more than twice as much as has been destroyed in any other action," Peter Hansen, commissioner general of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) told reporters here.

Hansen, who was speaking after inspecting the site on Sunday morning, said that his agency had yet to complete a definitive tally of the damage to property in the raid which has cost eight Palestinian lives.

But he said: "It would appear between 100 and 120 shelters/houses were completely destroyed and completely demolished. These shelters are homes to some 250-300 families.

"The damage is very, very extensive in three of the so-called blocks the camp is made into.

"If these initial estimates are correct, it will mean we will have some 1 500 persons added to the homeless roll in Rafah which already has some 6 000 people."

Hansen said that UNWRA would be setting up temporary shelters for the homeless but that it was not a long-term solution.

Eight Palestinians have been killed and about 80 injured during the operation launched Thursday night which Israel says is aimed at destroying tunnels used to smuggle in weapons from across the border with Egypt.

- AFP