The War of the Tunnels Panorama


The War of the Tunnels

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This summer, Palestinians in Gaza were pounded by Israeli bombs.

:00:08.:00:12.

More than 2,000 people died - a quarter of them children.

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We find out what it?s been like for Israelis living under a barrage

:00:18.:00:28.

This war has fuelled anger not only in Gaza but around the world.

:00:29.:00:41.

We investigate how and why the battles were fought

:00:42.:00:44.

These terror tunnels, their whole purpose is just to

:00:45.:00:51.

Peace talks are due to begin, but what has either side achieved

:00:52.:00:58.

Asma al Ghoul is going to her old family home for the first time since

:00:59.:01:26.

She hasn?t dared to come here till now.

:01:27.:01:33.

It?s August - the fighting is still going on.

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There?s a ceasefire today - but the area is

:01:37.:01:39.

a Hamas stronghold and Asma fears it could be hit again any time.

:01:40.:01:42.

That room, my mum and our sister and brother always used to stay there.

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This relative survived, but nine other members of Asma?s

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extended family died when her uncle?s house was bombed.

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And how old was - how old was the youngest child who died?

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One of the twins died - the other survived but is injured.

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And this home, I know everything, this home,

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Parts of Gaza have been devastated - more than 100,000 are homeless.

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It?s the fourth war here in less than a decade,

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For weeks, bombs pounded Gaza and rockets

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It seemed like a showdown between Hamas and the Israeli army, but what

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And why was the cost in civilian lives lost, overwhelmingly here

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Israel was trying to protect its communities in the south,

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which have always born the brunt of Hamas attacks.

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I headed to a hill near the town of Sderot, overlooking Gaza.

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A ceasefire was supposed to be in force.

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But it wasn?t long before we found out what living under fire is like.

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We just heard a mortar come whistling over our heads.

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It landed just a few hundred metres to our right

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in the Israeli village over there, so we?re getting out of here now.

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In the car, we heard a rocket, too, had just hit Sderot.

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The rocket hit a house when the family were out.

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The physical damage may not look that great but there is

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Thousands of rockets have hit Sderot over the years -

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You see what they try to do to us, to kill us the innocents?

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Nobody can live with this situation - nobody in all the world.

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In a bomb shelter, I found four children from the

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house, taken there by the babysitter before the rocket attack.

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Many Israeli children have had to spend the summer in shelters.

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A neighbour whose own home had been hit a couple of days

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before blamed Hamas and his own Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu.

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Sderot has had to put up with Hamas fire for years.

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But the Israel government wasn't prepared to stand by

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when major cities and more than a million people were threatened.

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Just 27 miles long, the Gaza strip is home to 1.8 million Palestinians.

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It was occupied by Israel until 2005.

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I was in Gaza two years later, when Hamas took charge,

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ousting the more moderate Palestinian Authority government.

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Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by Britain,

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The militant Islamist group has sworn to destroy Israel.

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When Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza, Hamas dug tunnels

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into Egypt to smuggle in everything from household goods to weapons.

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Last year when a new Egyptian government destroyed those tunnels,

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Hamas lost its economic lifeline, seriously affecting

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By the start of this year, Hamas couldn't pay the salaries

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of its workers and its leader warned the people of Gaza

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Hamas was preparing for a showdown with Israel, to ease the blockade

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The trigger was pulled not in Gaza, but on the occupied West Bank

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A Hamas cell targeted three Israeli teenagers hitching home

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One of them was 16-year-old Naftali Frenkel.

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Somebody stopped, er, apparently Israeli with an Israeli licence,

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The boys got into the car but quickly realised they were

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One of them made a phone call to the police.

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Then there was the sound of muffled gunshots.

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For me, the silence was very, very scary -

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It's every parent's nightmare, their child shouldn't get home

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Israel cracked down, destroying the homes of the suspected kidnappers.

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They arrested hundreds of members of Hamas.

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After 18 days, the bodies of the teenagers were found.

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In an interview with Panorama, the leader of Hamas took

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Hamas hasn't avoided responsibility for this event.

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Hamas cells did it, but in the context

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of self-defence against Israeli occupation and settlement policy.

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Two weeks later, another boy - Palestinian Mohammed Abu Khadir -

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was the victim of a tit-for-tat murder.

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His father described how Mohammed was seized from outside this shop

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The man who abducted Mohamed was an Israeli with a history

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TRANSLATION: Killing him was the worst crime in history.

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They poured petrol in his mouth, on his body, he was still alive when

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With tensions boiling over, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets into

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Israel, and Israeli jets bombed Gaza.

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By the beginning of July, it was all-out war.

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Hamas has launched rockets from built-up areas of Gaza,

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They've hidden the identity of this fighter as he positions

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But the crude rockets are no match for Israel's Iron Dome.

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This half-billion dollar anti-missile system has destroyed

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nearly 90% of the thousands of Hamas rockets which have targeted Israel.

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In this asymmetric war, Hamas deployed a weapon they too had

:10:00.:10:02.

An even more complex network of tunnels - these ones built under

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TRANSLATION: Everybody knows that "necessity is the mother of

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These tunnels were dug by the Resistance,

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in self-defence against a superior technological and military power.

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The Israelis had tried to keep tabs on the tunnel network as it grew,

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according to a government minister and former spy chief.

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The Hamas has built an underground Gaza, and that's

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a famous tactic in order to use this as a weapon, a terroristic

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Hamas filmed themselves during this war launching

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an attack through a tunnel on the Israeli village of Nahal Oz.

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Their mission was to seize a soldier - they failed, but killed

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We capture Israeli soldiers on the battlefield - not civilians.

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We capture them to release our 7,000 prisoners.

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When Israel frees our prisoners, we will no longer need to capture

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During this war, the Israelis discovered just how

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extensive the Hamas tunnel network was, running up to two miles

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An Israeli commander took me into one of Hamas's attack tunnels

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which emerges between two Israeli villages.

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So you see, it's well-designed - works very well.

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The tunnels are lined with cement, a precious commodity in Gaza,

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which Israel has tried to restrict with its blockade.

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The Hamas used tens of millions of dollars, thousands of tonnes

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As the war went on, the Israelis discovered what a huge investment

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of time and money Hamas had made in these tunnels, dug by hand.

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Why didn't you know about these tunnels before?

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We were aware of those tunnels, but it's very complicated.

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It's not enough to find it in Israel, because you have to

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On 17th July, the Israelis launched a ground

:12:54.:13:10.

offensive that would destroy more than 30 tunnels inside Gaza.

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Deep underground, these special forces were the first

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They used robots to scout the extensive network to find

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We can't identify these combat engineers - they've

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We have encountered the enemy in the tunnels several times.

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The Israeli unit lost that soldier here in Shujayea ? scene of one

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of the most intensive battles of the war.

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This built up area in eastern Gaza was the starting point

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Hamas used them to try and seize Israeli soldiers.

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The entrance to the tunnel was just a hundred metres from this

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I personally witnessed in trying to kidnap soldiers, trying to separate

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The entrance to the tunnel was just a hundred metres from this

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It had been hit a week earlier by Israeli shelling.

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Staff and patients then evacuated the hospital following

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The building then became a flashpoint in the battle.

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we took a heavy fire from the hospital. Yes, I'm sure about it,

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they continued to fire from the hospital.

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The Israelis say their army video shows flashes

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of fire - Hamas attacking them from inside the Wafa hospital.

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We had to bomb the hospital because it was a standing post of Hamas.

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The Israelis also claim secondary explosions prove weaponry was

:15:23.:15:25.

This is a lie. Israel accuses Hamas of doing this

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Today much of Shujayea is a wasteland.

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This pile of rubble is all that?s left of the Wafa hospital.

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It will cost millions to re-build it.

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In the battle, many houses around it were destroyed -

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TRANSLATION: I left because the area was being shelled and bombed from

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the east, I was afraid for my family. TRANSLATION: Where is our

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street, our house? 25, 30 people living in it. It's a catastrophe.

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200 people, some of them civilians, died in the battle in Shujayea.

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The question is did Israel target them or was Hamas using them

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You have to ask this question to Hamas, why are they using civilian

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spots, schools, hospitals, as their military headquarters? You have no

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choice if you are in this round of war hostility and rockets are

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launched from these places. Cancellation

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Israel is seeking excuses to strike hospitals.

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The next chapter in the war of the tunnels was here in Rafah ?

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When Hamas tried to abduct another Israeli soldier this place became

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the focus of the so-called Hannibal Directive ? an order to

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You are using all the means from the ground

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and sometime you are also asking for an outside backup in order to chase

:17:36.:17:40.

On August 1st there was a humanitarian ceasefire.

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Under its terms, this Israeli unit was continuing

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Hamas killed two of them, and dragged a third,

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One of his comrades, Lt Eitan, told me how he carried out

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I decided to go inside the tunnel so I took with me a couple of soldiers

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Andrew went down the tunnel to look for Hadar. We saw he was dragged

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inside, we continued about 800 Metres. What was it like in the

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tunnels? Very deep, very dark, very small, claustrophobic.

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The tunnel was booby trapped with explosives.

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We had to go find him, we had to get him no matter what the cost is.

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But the Hannibal Directive didn?t save Hadar Goldin.

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He was declared dead the next day ? Hamas has still not

:18:56.:18:58.

Over the next two days the Israelis bombed Rafah intensively.

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Some were militants ? some, women and children.

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Israel?s been accused of using indiscriminate force while carrying

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The blame that we have used it in order to attack civilians

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I am not only denying it ? I am talking facts.

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Israel claim it only bombed military targets in Rafah.

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But Asma al Ghoul?s family home here was destroyed ? women

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When I heard the news and I saw the bodies, like my uncle...

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Some of Asma?s family belong to Hamas.

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But as a journalist she?s had her run-ins with the Islamist group -

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harassed for not wearing a headscarf on the beach.

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Your relatives had connections with Hamas, surely that is why the house

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was attacked. Not this uncle at all. If they are, I will say that, it's

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very easy. The Israeli military says

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the house was a Hamas command and control centre used to plan

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terror attacks against Israel. They could not confirm if civilians

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were there when they bombed it. There?s anger across the world over

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the civilian casualties caused They say they make every

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effort to avoid them. I met one of the Israeli

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surveillance pilots ? we cannot show We have to make sure there's no

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people walking around, any So we?ll have to have cameras

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on that area before So if you are carrying out this

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surveillance, how come so may civilians have been killed in

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Israeli air strikes? We can only see what is going on outside so if

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people are inside the houses, we have developed techniques to get the

:21:58.:22:00.

civilians as far away as possible from the battlefield.

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One controversial Israeli technique used in this war

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and over the last six years is what they call ?the knock on the roof?.

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First a non explosive warning rocket is fired.

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The impact is intended to give people a few minutes to get

:22:12.:22:15.

However Israel justifies its methods of avoiding civilian

:22:16.:22:24.

casualties ? its bombs have killed hundreds of women and children.

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So has their military action been disproportionate?

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We have warned civilians, Hamas could avoid many, many losses. So

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the blame is not on Israel, the blame is on Hamas and Israel is

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sorrow for every loss of civilian life.

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The UN is now investigating alleged war crimes on both sides.

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Hamas is accused of using its own people as human shields

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and firing rockets indiscriminately at civilians in Israel.

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TRANSLATION: First, we do not target Israeli civilians. Second, we don't

:23:12.:23:19.

have accurate smart missiles like the Israeli military. Give us those

:23:20.:23:24.

guided missiles and we will never launch rockets at just anyone, we

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will only target the Israeli military.

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On the other side alleged war crimes by Israel include hitting

:23:30.:23:32.

On July 30th paramedic Ibrahim abu el Qais was in this ambulance

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when a call came ? Shujayea was under Israeli fire again.

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TRANSLATION: When we headed there, the situation was incredibly

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dangerous. Everywhere we went to common sense that death was a

:24:05.:24:05.

certainty. The ambulances were being

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followed by local TV crews. Ibrahim, one of the first

:24:08.:24:09.

on the scene went into Then in the street below him,

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there was another explosion. 17 people were now dead, including

:24:13.:24:21.

a paramedic and a photographer. Unfortunately there is no respect

:24:22.:24:36.

for the uniform or the ambulance. The planes bombing knew we were

:24:37.:24:41.

here. After they bombed us the first time, then you another ambulance

:24:42.:24:42.

would be coming here soon. The Israeli army told us they are

:24:43.:24:46.

still investigating this incident involving the ambulances

:24:47.:24:48.

in Shujayea. The Israelis have also announced

:24:49.:24:50.

they are investigating possible war crimes by their own forces

:24:51.:24:53.

in five other cases. There were no comparable scenes

:24:54.:24:59.

in Israel like the ones the world saw daily from Gaza?s

:25:00.:25:02.

hospitals during the war. And so arguably

:25:03.:25:07.

in many countries Israel?s lost the biggest battle in this conflict

:25:08.:25:10.

? the battle for public opinion. What should Israel do when 5 million

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civilians are under heavy rocket attack? We should sit and wait? I am

:25:27.:25:35.

asking the international community, what they have done is the same

:25:36.:25:40.

would happen in their country against their civilians?

:25:41.:25:45.

Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv as the war drew to a close.

:25:46.:25:48.

The majority of Israelis don?t think this conflict had any clear winner.

:25:49.:26:01.

Many of the tunnels are destroyed ? but the war cost Israel the lives

:26:02.:26:05.

And Hamas is still in Gaza - armed with rockets.

:26:06.:26:12.

Many Israelis wanted their army to stay in Gaza

:26:13.:26:15.

When the ceasefire took hold, Hamas celebrated what they called

:26:16.:26:28.

They tightened their hold on Gaza ? executing people they

:26:29.:26:31.

But Hamas have made no solid gains in this war ? there?s no guarantee

:26:32.:26:37.

the blockade will be lifted or they?ll get the airport

:26:38.:26:40.

and the seaport they?re demanding to open Gaza to the outside world.

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If the international community doesn?t deliver this or if Israel

:26:52.:26:53.

manoeuvres and deceives, we will fight and resume our struggle.

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These are our rights and the whole world will be responsible

:26:57.:26:59.

The solution is not a military solution. The solution is

:27:00.:27:14.

diplomatic. We have to sit around the table. Israel is committed to

:27:15.:27:20.

defend its sovereignty, it citizens and unfortunately, if we have to do

:27:21.:27:26.

it again, we will do it without hesitation.

:27:27.:27:39.

Israel?s now seized nearly a thousand acres

:27:40.:27:40.

of the occupied West Bank ? in response to the killing of the three

:27:41.:27:44.

Israeli teenagers. The move?s been condemned by the Palestinians and

:27:45.:27:46.

internationally. Last night two Palestinians suspected of kidnapping

:27:47.:27:48.

the three boys were killed when the Israeli army tried to capture them.

:27:49.:27:55.

In Gaza, Asma is visiting baby Ibrahim whose

:27:56.:27:57.

twin brother Mustafa was killed when their family home was bombed.

:27:58.:28:07.

Asma now believes it is Hamas who will reap the advantage

:28:08.:28:18.

Once again they?re trying to rebuild their lives in Gaza.

:28:19.:28:47.

Peace talks are due to start this week.

:28:48.:28:53.

But people here ? and in Israel, don?t believe they?ve seen

:28:54.:28:56.

I put my arms over my son and I put my leg over my daughter,

:28:57.:29:30.

then the footsteps got closer and closer

:29:31.:29:32.

A year on, those that survived the Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi

:29:33.:29:37.

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