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ICRC 'gravely concerned' by Lebanon bombardment

GENEVA: The International Committee of

the Red Cross said on Tuesday it was "gravely concerned" by the

violence of the six-day conflict between Israel and Hizbollah

guerrillas and urged both sides not to target civilians.

In a statement, the ICRC said Israeli bombing in southern

Lebanon had forced 400,00O people to flee their homes. Another

10,000 had fled in northern Israel after Hizbollah rocket

attacks.

"The ICRC hereby issues a solemn reminder to the warring

parties of their duty to comply with the rules of international

humanitarian law, which protect the victims of war," it said.

In particular, the ICRC said, the following acts were

prohibited: attacks on civilians or civilian property;

indiscriminate attacks likely to affect civilians; attacks on

medical facilities or ambulances; acts or threats of violence

whose primary purpose is to spread terror among civilians.

The organisation also called on combatants not to hide

behind civilians, to respect staff, vehicles and buildings used

for medical or humanitarian pruposes, and to guarantee ICRC

delegates access to all victims of the conflict.

The ICRC said it had set up an emergency programme

throughout the region, giving priority to people who had

remained in their homes. Rockets Israel

KIRYAT SHMONA: Katyusha rockets

slammed into northern Israel on Tuesday, the sixth day of

cross-border fighting between the Jewish state and pro-Iranian

guerrillas in Lebanon, witnesses said.

No one was reported injured by the two salvoes in the

eastern and western Galilee region.

The rockets broke a 16-hour respite from attacks, which have

kept residents in northern Israel in bomb shelters for nearly a

week.

Two fresh rounds of rockets hit during a quieter morning,

during which the Israeli army told Lebanese residents through

the Voice of South Lebanon Radio that it would temporarily

suspend attacks to allow more people to flee.

As the Jewish state came to a two-minute halt to remember

victims of the Nazi holocaust, Israeli forces observed the

silence by stopping their operation, named "Grapes of Wrath".

But Israeli forces soon resumed air attacks on the Islamic

Hizbollah group, including a raid on a Palestinian refugee camp,

amid diplomatic moves by the United States to broker a

ceasefire.

Katyusha rocket attacks have wounded 45 people in a week.

Israeli air and artillery attacks have killed at least 24 people

and wounded 127, and caused up to 400,000 people to flee their

homes in Lebanon.-Reuter