Concordia University, 2149 MacKay, below Sherbrooke

Forty-two women and children were killed when an Israeli tank opened
fire outside a UN-run school in Gaza today, the third such attack in
24 hours. Two tank shells exploded outside the al-Fakhora school in
Jabaliya refugee camp, spraying shrapnel on those inside and outside
the building, where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge from
Israeli shilling.

Those who died in the attack today were people sheltering in the
school and local residents. Schools run by the UN Relief and Works
Agency (UNRWA) have opened their doors to provide shelters for
thousands of Palestinians who have fled their homes. The Israeli
government has been informed of this fact by the UNRWA representatives
in Gaza. At least 17 schools are sheltering more than 5,000 people.
Nine of the schools in the Jabaliya refugee camp are in the front line
of fighting.

Max Gaylard, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian
territories, said that Israel had the GPS co-ordinates of all UN
buildings in Gaza – including its schools. "Neither homes nor UN
shelters are safe" for civilians, he said in a statement that
reaffirmed UN ceasefire calls. "These tragic incidents need to be
investigated, and if international humanitarian law has been
contravened, those responsible must be held accountable."

Israel has a history of attacking UN shelters holding civilians. In
Qana, south Lebanon, the Israeli army massacred hundreds of civilians
when they bombed UN shelters in 1996. This deliberate war crime was
repeated in 2006 when Israel again bombed UN buildings protecting
civilians.

Today we call on the Canadian Government to condemn this grave war
crime, as any justification for this dispicable act perpetuated by the
Israeli military will only signal that the Conservative government
views Palestinian live as subhuman.

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For further information:

Laith Marouf 514 999 1948, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (english)
Sophie Schoen 514 998 7243, Tadamon! Montreal (french)