Israeli attack massacres Palestinian children after Hamas attacks Israeli children

Children between 8 and 12 years of age were treated for shrapnel wounds in a local hospital

The news first appeared as an e-mail alert from sources in the Middle East - Israel had committed yet another massacre of innocent children in response to a mortar attack in Gaza.

An attempt to contact our sources in the area resulted in the telephone lines being unavailable and a general overview on the Internet of the main sites reveals nothing: the Palestine Authority site is down, as are a number of Arab news sites. The mainstream international news agencies do not mention the incident. The footage on Euronews, under the "No Comment" section, which showed screaming Palestinian children being treated for shrapnel wounds, is mysteriously absent from the website and the footage was shown once, and since withdrawn.

Rania Siam was seven years old and was playing near her house in Khan Younis, Gaza, when she was murdered by continued fire from Israeli troops, who claimed they were retaliating against mortar fire some hours previously against the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim. Four persons were injured in this attack, including one child.

The retaliation was as heavy-handed as usual, resulting in the admission that the death of Rania Siam is being investigated by the Israeli authorities, while there is no mention of the other casualties reported by hospital authorities in the area as yet unconfirmed by the international press, among a massive cover-up attempt by suppressing sites.

The Jewish lobby, defended tooth and nail by Washington, may control the stories circulating in the international media but one thing is certain: the Israeli authorities cannot suppress their own websites or news agencies. The Jerusalem Post confirms reports that eight mortar shells were fired at Israeli settlements in the north and south of the Gaza Strip today, Sunday and that "In apparent retaliation, the IDF reportedly fired three tank shells in the Khan Younis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, moderately wounding five schoolchildren and lightly wounding two others" reporting Palestinian security officials.

The same report confirms that children between 8 and 12 years of age were treated for shrapnel wounds in a local hospital.

The IDF has denied firing tank rounds but has admitted retaliating with light weaponry against what it perceived as terrorist attacks.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz also reports the incident, claiming that "IDF kills girl, 7", after Hamas launched a mortar attack against Israeli civilians.

Haaretz describes the situation as follows: "IDF soldiers identified the location from which the Palestinian militants fired the mortars, and a tank fired a number of rounds in that direction", adding that "IDF sources confirmed that it is likely Sayam's death was caused by the tank shelling. Army sources said the tank crew aimed at the Palestinians firing the mortars".

Why then is the story absent from the mainstream media groups which control the world's press? However horrific are the terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians, including children, how can Israel claim that it has right and reason on its side by perpetrating the same crimes? How also can Israelis claim to be loyal to the principles of their faith by suppressing the truth in international media sources, since truth is something they are supposed to strive towards?

How can any Israeli living under the regime of the mass murderer and war criminal Ariel Sharon, claim to be living in a state of law? One has only to investigate his record in the Lebanon, after all.