WRAP Rocket attack on Ashkelon ADDS Hamas fighters in Ashkelon hospital
(8 Jan 2009) SHOTLIST AP Television News Ashkelon, southern Israel - 9 January 2009 1. Ambulance arriving at the Barzilai hospital 2. Mid of one of the men Israeli rescue services said were Hamas militants being wheeled into hospital on stretcher 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Ron Lobel, Deputy Manager of the Barzilai Medical centre "A few minutes ago arrived two injured Palestinians. They were brought by Israeli ambulances from the Erez gate. They are now in the hospital, they are both with gunshot wounds. They are being treated. They will need to go into the operating theatre, and will be hospitalised in the hospital." 4. Another Palestinian man (not Hamas militant) lying in hospital bed 5. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Jaber Tahir Abu Zahour, Vox Pop, hospital patient: "We came in our car because we were told there is a permit to pass because the whole road is closed by the army. We started passing and the army started shooting at us. 6. Palestinian man lying in hospital bed talking to people Ashkelon, Israel 7. Pan of street UPSOUND: siren 8. People running for cover as siren warns of rocket attack 9. Woman being comforted 10. People waiting in room 11. Various of street scenes 12. Man handing out newspapers 13. Pan of newspaper headline reading (English): "Israel sends officials to Cairo to discuss truce" 14. SOUNDBITE (English) Vox pop, Ashkelon resident, name unknown: "With whom our we signing? With whom our we agreeing? There are a number of terrorist organisations, for example Islamic Jihad. So if we sign an agreement say with Hamas it's not necessarily with all the other groups." 15. People reading newspapers 16. SOUNDBITE (English) Vox pop, Ashkelon resident, name unknown: "The war is not a good thing. I just want it to stop." 17. Wide of street STORYLINE Israeli rescue services said on Thursday they transferred two wounded Hamas men to hospital in Ashkelon. They claim they were wounded in fighting in Gaza and they were brought in army ambulances to the Erez crossing and then onto Barzilai hospital. AP Television cannot independently verify that the men belonged to Hamas. Another Palestinian man was also being treated at the hospital for gunshot wounds after he said was shot by Israeli police at the Erez crossing. He said he was on his way to work at the crossing when he came under fire. In the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon people ran for cover as sirens warned of incoming rocket attacks. Meanwhile, at least three rockets were fired from Lebanon on Thursday into Israel, lightly wounding at least one person, officials said. Israeli forces responded by firing mortars across the border, Lebanese television reported. The rockets on Israel's north raised the spectre of renewed hostilities with Hezbollah, just two-and-a-half years after Israel battled the guerrilla group to a 34-day stalemate. Israel has repeatedly said it was prepared for a possible attack on the north since it launched its bruising campaign against Hamas militants in Gaza on 27 December. Israel has mobilised thousands of reserve troops for such a scenario, and leaders have warned Hezbollah of grave consequences if it entered the fighting. Israel briefly stopped its bombardment after a three-hour lull on Wednesday to allow in humanitarian aid, bombing heavily around suspected smuggling tunnels near the border with Egypt after Hamas responded with a rocket barrage. The Israeli Cabinet formally decided on Wednesday to push ahead with the offensive while at the same time pursuing the cease-fire. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
