Gaza [Palestine], May 14: AFP on May 14 quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that nearly half of those killed in the war in the Gaza Strip were Hamas members , lowering the number of civilian casualties that caused much outrage.
Besides, he also said that the number of deaths was lower than the number announced by authorities in Gaza. According to health authorities in Gaza, at least 35,091 people were killed in the more than 7-month war between the Israeli army and Hamas forces.
However, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that this number was only about 30,000 and that Hamas gunmen accounted for nearly half.
Gaza authorities have not provided an overview of the number of Hamas members killed, but have repeatedly said that the majority of those killed in the war are women and children. The United Nations and many countries have raised alarm about the number of civilian deaths.
However, Mr. Netanyahu asserted that Israel was "able to keep the death toll ratio between civilians and Hamas fighters at 1:1."
"14,000 militants were killed, and probably about 16,000 civilians were killed," he said.
Previously in March, when interviewed in Politico , he said that 13,000 Hamas members were killed, while the number of civilians killed was "much lower" than 20,000. At the time, Gaza authorities said the death toll was at least 31,045.
In another development, Hamas forces said that tense ground fighting continued with the Israeli army in northern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera Radio reported on May 14.
Hamas 's Qassam Brigade said its members dropped a Yassin-105 anti-tank shell on an Israeli Merkava tank east of the Jabalia refugee camp using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This force also said it attacked four tanks in the area.
Regarding aid in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported on May 14 that radical Israelis burned two trucks carrying humanitarian aid from Jordan to Gaza. The trucks were parked at the Tarqumiyah checkpoint in the West Bank when they were looted the day before.
Police arrested four people for participating in illegal actions before leaving the area. Then a far-right group turned around and burned the trucks, arguing that aid should be used as leverage to rescue the hostages. Haaretz newspaper reported that the Israeli army and police are blaming each other for the incident.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
