Why we are hitting civilian targets in Gaza – IDF

 

NEW YORK – The Israel Defense Forces cannot distinguish between citizens of the Gaza Strip and Hamas militants who move in civilian vehicles instead of armored ones, army spokesman, Major Nir Dinar told The Wall Street Journal.

Eyewitnesses told the newspaper that Israeli tanks and infantry entered the outskirts of Gaza City on Monday and blocked the highway that connects the northern and southern parts of the enclave. 

The newspaper assessed that the Israeli army is seeking to encircle the city in an offensive move. An eyewitness said he saw two Israeli tanks and a bulldozer travelling north. He added that one of the tanks fired at a cab that had a white flag attached to its hood.

“The IDF was not shown any proof that this is a civilian car and there’s no information on who is inside. Terrorists use civilian infrastructure like cars. They don’t have tanks or military jeeps,” the army spokesman pointed out.

Another Israeli army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said the Israeli military was combating the enemy. However, he refused to discuss the position of Israel’s troops.

Earlier, the AFP agency, citing eyewitnesses, reported that a column of Israeli tanks was spotted on the outskirts of Gaza. 

According to its reports, the armoured vehicles blocked the north-south highway in the area of Salah ad-Din. Later, the Al Ekhbariya channel said that Palestinian Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip opened fire on the Israeli tanks that had blocked the road.