Established in 2002 Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) strives “to foster justice, peace, prosperity and security for all peoples of the Middle East” and “seeks to provide resources and host activities which enable Canadians at all levels to better understand the dynamics of the region, and work toward solutions for the region.” CJPME adopts pro-Palestinian positions and promotes the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaign against Israel.
The CJPME executive team: Thomas Woodley – President, Michael Bueckert – Vice President, Khaoula Chehbouni – Administration. The CJPME board: Osama Abu-Shihab, Nadia Abu-Zahra, Jeffrey Ayoub, Gordon King, Azeezah Kanji, Monia Mazigh.
On December 27, 2020 CJPME issued the following statement on Facebook:
On the evening of December 25th, while many people around the world were celebrating Christmas, Israel launched a series of airstrikes against the Gaza strip. Two people were injured by the airstrikes (including a six-year old girl), and massive damage was reported at a children’s hospital, a mosque, a centre for people with disabilities, and other civilian buildings.
Israel says that its assault was a response to two missiles fired from Gaza earlier on Friday (by sources unknown), which caused no injury or damage.
Israel’s attacks on the civilian population of Gaza, a densely populated area under strict Israeli blockade, constitute war crimes and collective punishment. When will the world speak out against Israeli aggression?
Read more:
1) https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201226-israel-launches-airstrikes-on-gaza-strip
2) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/26/israeli-air-attacks-gaza-injuries
Hamas spokesperson admits collateral damage (“missile shrapnel”)
On December 26, 2020 Hamas issued a statement implicitly acknowledging that the damage to a children’s hospital and a rehabilitation center was caused by missile shrapnel and not by a direct IDF bombing (originally in Arabic):
“The spokesman for the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas Hazem Qassem said that the barbaric aggression committed by the occupation army against the Gaza Strip by bombing the Gaza Strip with warplanes, terrified civilians, and that missile shrapnel hit a children’s hospital and a rehabilitation center for people with special needs. Qassem stressed that this crime will not break the will of our people, but will increase our determination to adhere to our legitimate rights and fight for them.”
IDF: Only “Hamas terror targets” were attacked
On December 25, 2020 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tweeted:
In response to the rockets fired from Gaza toward Israel tonight, the Israeli Air Force struck Hamas terror targets including:
A rocket manufacturing site
Underground infrastructure
A military post Hamas will bear the consequences for all terror emanating from Gaza.
[originally in Hebrew] Following the report aboot the [Intelligence] warning, two [rockets] launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory were spotted and intercepted by IAF fighters.
IDF: “Secondary explosions are suspected of causing the damage to the nearby hospital”
On December 26, 2020 the Times of Israel reported:
“The Israeli military flatly denied hitting the hospital, and said exploding Hamas munitions may have done so. The IDF said it struck three Hamas targets in the predawn hours of Saturday morning, including a rocket manufacturing site, underground infrastructure and a military post, after two rockets were fired from Gaza earlier in the evening. The Ynet news site on Saturday, citing Palestinian sources, reported that the rocket factory targeted in the strikes was a major facility for the terror group, used to improve the capabilities of its munitions. The Israeli army, however, insisted on Saturday afternoon that it did not strike the hospital. “Secondary explosions, which were identified from the strike on the Hamas rocket manufacturing site, are suspected of causing the damage to the nearby hospital,” an army statement said. Hamas “deliberately places military targets at the heart of densely populated areas,” while the Israeli army “takes all possible precautions to avoid harming civilians and civilian buildings,” the statement added.
On December 26, 2020 Or Heller, a military correspondent for Israeli channel 10 reported (originally in Hebrew):
“Gaza: Three Hamas targets with over ten components [were attacked by the IDF]: A logistics tunnel shaft, a rocket and glider production facility, and a guard post. IDF still does not know who launched [at an Israeli community the two rockets] last night at 8 p.m. Sub-explosions caused by the explosion of rockets that were targeted [by the IDF] caused damage to nearby civilian facilities such as a children’s hospital in the Tufah neighborhood. [This is the] first rocket fire [from the Gaza Strip targeting Israeli civilians] in more than a month since November 21 [2020].”
Kan’s report – click here
Secondary explosions following IDF attack on Hamas targets
IDF intercepts rockets launched from Gaza targeting Israeli civilians