Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni raised the possibility on Tuesday that a blast that killed eight Palestinian civilians last week on a beach was due to a terrorist’s bomb and not Israeli shell fire.
The Palestinians were killed as a result of an explosion on a beach in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday as they picnicked on one of the hottest days of the year, sparking worldwide condemnation.
Initial reports said the deaths were likely caused by an Israeli shell. The military had been shelling the surrounding area, from where Palestinian militants have launched rockets into Israel.
Speaking at a news conference with European Union officials, Livni said: ”We are looking into the truth.
”There is a situation in which maybe — I’m not sure, we are going to find [out] during the day — I think this was an explosive that was put on the beach for future attacks on Israel,” he said.
”This is the way that the terrorists used the last few weeks, the beach and the seashore, to target Israel at night,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, media reports in Israel said an internal military probe into the deaths had turned up no evidence the tragedy was caused by Israeli shell fire, without ruling out the possibility.
The military investigation was headed by Israeli General Meir Klifi and is due to present its report to General Dan Halutz, chief of staff, on Tuesday evening.
Livni said: ”Israel regret the loss of lives, regardless the reasons how it happened, but it is important for us to make this inquiry because it is not in any way the Israeli government’s policy to bomb or to send artillery towards civilians.” — Sapa-AFP