The Israeli military is now saying that the attack on the UN school last week was “a mistake.” The government has not yet issued a statement though there was a fury of them following the deaths of over 40 in the school, blaming Hamas, which the government spokesman repeated, without qualification, had fired from the school, thus drawing Israeli fire, and thereby being responsible for the deaths.

975 Gazan deaths now being reported since the invasion began. 13 Israelis — 10 of them soldiers in Gaza. As to percentages, that’s .065% of 1.5 million Gazans. The 2,900 deaths of September 11, 2001 were .0363% of the 8.2 million New Yorkers. As to the Israeli soldiers — 10 out of 125,000 (estimated total ground forces) is .008%; much smaller if you add in reserves, some of whom are now in Gaza.

Reports of Israeli use of white phosphorus persist, though denied.

Luay Suboh, 10, lost his eyesight and some skin on his face Saturday
when a fiery substance clung to him as he ran in a street

More photos

Rockets from Gaza into Israel continue to drop, terrifying those they explode near. According to reports, the number fired on Sunday was 20 and was half that two weeks ago when the Israeli invasion began. There have been no reported deaths from rockets since the first days, when 4 civilians died.

Will a Palestinian Gandhi be able to rise from the ashes of Gaza? From Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa in 1914 33 years of resistance passed before independence from Great Britain was won in 1947. 33 years. It has been 60 years since the great exodus of Palestinians from their homeland in 1948 and the misery and fear on both sides is greater than ever. Even without counting the dead, even without a calculus of the loss of promise for all, the notion there must be a better way surely has to poke its head out of the rubble.