The IDF claims its innocence

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has apologized for the killing of eight members of a Palestinian family picnicking on a Gaza beach, which Hamas has used as an excuse to call off its uneasy cease-fire with Israel. But the Israeli military now says it did not fire the fatal shots after all:

A top Israeli general says the country's armed forces didn't cause the explosion that killed eight Palestinians on Friday and ended the fragile ceasefire in the region.

Hamas, which leads the Palestinian Authority parliament, blamed the deaths on Tel Aviv as its military branch resumed attacks on Israel for the first time in 16 months.

But Israeli Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant said Sunday the military can prove it wasn't Israeli fire that hit the beach in Gaza, killing eight people.

Galant, who commands Israel's southern command, said Israel stopped firing 15 minutes before the explosion.

This is starting to sound awfully familiar.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at June 11, 2006 07:38 PM