15 January 2009 At about 10 a.m. local, the first Israeli shell, from a tank or artillery, crashed into the United Nations main centre in Gaza City today, an hour after 700 Palestinians fleeing intense fighting crowded into the compound and UN officials informed Israeli liaison officers of the dangers of shelling in the area and that shrapnel was coming into the buildings.
Before the direct strike, we were told, yes weve registered that the shrapnels coming into your compound, we know the dangers, weve informed the operational people on the ground, dont worry, you wont be hit.
We were highlighting that there were great dangers, particularly and noteworthy that we had five trucks full of fuel ready since early morning to be dispatched to re-supply various centres and also water pumping stations and sewage pumping stations and we alerted the Israeli Defence Forces of their exact location, Mr. Ging said.
Within an hour there was a large explosion and fire erupted in the workshop area where the trucks were parked. As the trucks were moved, six other rounds were fired into the same area and international staff identified them as burning like phosphorous.
It looked like phosphorous, it smelled like phosphorous and it burned like phosphorous, so thats why Im calling it phosphorous, Mr. Ging said, speaking 60 metres from the first explosion at the vocational training centre, and 150 metres from the second, voicing amazement that only three people were injured in both incidents.
Mr. Ging stressed that there were no militants in or firing from the compound, calling for an independent investigation.
prayers for all these victims
