MIDDLE EAST
Israel admits booby trap killed Palestinian boys.
November 27, 2001 CNN
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday the device that exploded last Thursday and killed five Palestinian boys in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in southern Gaza was placed there by Israeli soldiers to thwart Palestinian attackers.
"The device that exploded and killed the five children was a device placed by an IDF force in a position used consistently by terrorists to carry out repeated shooting attacks toward an IDF position and the village of Ganei Tal in Gush Katif," the IDF said Monday in a statement posted on its Web site.
The Israeli investigation concluded the device was not detonated by the IDF. "The possibility that the device was triggered by one of the children is being checked," the statement said. The investigation into how the deaths occurred will continue "in order to learn the most from the incident," the statement said. "The IDF repeats its sorrow for the loss of life of the innocent [children] in this incident."
The boys were killed near a U.N. elementary school in the camp when one of them kicked the shell, Palestinian sources said. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said the boys were all related. They were identified as Muhammad al Astal, 14; Omar al Astal, 13; Muhammad al Astal, 12; Aniees al Astal, 12, and Akram al Astal, 6. The 14-year-old and the 6-year-old were brothers. One of the 12-year-olds and the 13-year-old were brothers. The two other boys were cousins.