Israel Targets Gaza Mosques

Israel Targets Gaza Mosques

By Ola Attallah, IOL Correspondent

Several mosques were flatted in the Israeli strikes. GAZA CITY — Mosques across the Gaza Strip have become the latest target of the Israeli military juggernaut, unleashed against the impoverished coastal enclave since Saturday. "As if it was not enough for them to kill our people and children, the Israelis are also destroying the houses of Allah," Abu Khalid, a Gaza resident, told IslamOnline.net. Two people were killed and scores wounded when Israeli warplanes attacked a mosque near Abu Khalid's house in western Gaza. "We heard a big boom and saw a black cloud of smoke billowing into the sky," he recalled. "We went out to see what happened and were dumbfounded to see the mosque razed to the ground." Israeli warplanes blitzed a mosque in Jabaliya early Monday. Five girls of the same family, including a 14 month-old toddler, were killed overnight when Israeli war jets pounded a mosque near their home in the northern town of Jabaliya. A third mosque in the southern town of Khan Younis was also flattened after Israeli aircraft bombed it out. The massive Israeli bombardment of targets in Gaza has killed at least 345 people, including 57 civilians, according to medics and UN figures. At least 27 of the dead are children. Crime Gazans were infuriated by the Israeli attacks on their mosques. "How dare they attack places of worship places," fumed a visibly moved Abu Rami, whose house was destroyed in an Israeli attack. "They shall answer to Allah the Almighty." Abu Omar, a mosque imam, could not believe himself. "Why are they targeting mosques? Are the mosques being used to fire rockets?" he asked. "Mosques are the houses of Allah and are only used for worship. Such attacks are the worst of crimes," he said angrily. Wael Al-Zard, a preacher, lamented the silence of Arab and Muslim countries over the Israeli onslaught. "Do not the Israeli attacks constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity?" http://www.islamonline.net