LOC20:30
17:30 GMT
(With MIL-MIDEAST-CONFLICT)
GAZA, Aug 2 (KUNA) -- Hamas Movement on Saturday lashed out at UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and accused him of siding with the Israeli occupation authorities.
"Ban upheld Israel's version of the Israeli officer who went missing in Rafah city, south Gaza Strip, yesterday morning, thus giving the green light for the Israeli occupation army to continue the carnage in the city where 120 civilians were killed in the last two days," according to a statement by Hamas.
"Ban provided legitimacy to Israel so he is personally responsible for the blood of our martyrs in Rafah," it stressed.
Earlier today Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, denied holding the Israeli officer Hadar Goldin whose missing was used by Israel as a pretext for an fierce onslaught on Rafah, thus shattering a 72-hour cease-fire backed by Ban and the US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Hamas accused Israel of committing war crimes by denying ambulances access to the wounded people in the city.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued its air and ground attacks on Gaza and killed more than 70 people today despite Israeli claims of troops pullout from the Strip particularly Rafah city.
At least ten Palestinians were killed and 15 others injured in just an hour this evening as a result of Israeli artillery bombardment on the eastern outskirts of the city.
The victims, mainly women and children, include four deaths from one family, according to Palestinian medical sources.
Five people were killed in a drone attack on a group of people who were standing near a mosque in Rafah while three others were killed in a similar drone attack on a group of people on George St., to the east of the city.
Another drone attack targeted a house in the central town of Deir Al-Balah but no reports on casualties were received so far.
Today's victims took the Palestinian casualties of the ongoing Israeli aggression to 1,650 deaths and more than 8,900 wounded people. (end)
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