Sharon says Gaza raid was 'successful'
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today praised an Israeli army strike in the Gaza Strip that killed 14 Palestinians and wounded more than 100.
Undeterred by US criticism, he said there would be more such operations in the future.
The Palestinians said all the dead were civilians, while the military said most were armed men who died in battle.
“The operation was a successful operation,” Sharon said. “This operation was complicated, it was a difficult operation. There will be more operations in Gaza.”
The army said the raid on Kahn Younis was meant to give Hamas notice that it could no longer feel safe in Gaza, where Israel had been reluctant to stage large operations in the past.
The US State Department last night said it was “deeply troubled” by raids on Palestinian areas that killed civilians.
The criticism included the usual affirmation that Israel had the right to defend itself, but in ways that do not harm civilians.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said many victims in yesterday’s raid were civilians.
