Israel's Gaza strike condemned by Europe, Arabs

BRUSSELS, Nov 8 (Reuters) Israel's deadly strike in Gaza, which killed 18 Palestinian civilians today, drew condemnation from Europe and the West Asia and a US call for restraint.

The European Union said it was appalled at the shelling which killed mostly women and children in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. Italy branded the killing a ''massacre'' and an international Muslim group called it a war crime.

It was Israel's deadliest strike in the territory in four years.

Some of the victims died in their beds as shells struck seven houses.

''We call on all parties to show restraint so as to avoid any harm to innocent civilians,'' said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council. He said Washington hoped Israel would swiftly complete an investigation into the attack.

Finland, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said it was ''appalled at the continuing killing of civilians due to the ongoing Israeli operation in Gaza'' and appealed for restraint on both sides.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he deplored the attack and called for an end to the cycle of violence. ''These military operations must be halted. We must give a chance to the process of reconciliation between Palestinians,'' he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said he voiced sorrow over the deaths. A military spokeswoman said Israeli forces had fired shells at north Gaza in response to rockets being fired at Israel.

Israel launched its Gaza offensive in June after militants seized an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid. It withdrew from Beit Hanoun yesterday following a week-long assault it said was designed to stop militants firing rockets at the Jewish state, that killed 52 militants and civilians.

''MASSACRE'' ''This morning 18 people, women and children, were massacred ...

an escalation of violence I think is unacceptable,'' Italy's Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said.

''I think that now an international initiative to unblock the Palestinian situation is essential.'' British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she was deeply disturbed by the deaths of Palestinian civilians.

''Israel must respect its obligation to avoid harming civilians.

It is hard to see what this action was meant to achieve and how it can be justified,'' Beckett said.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said France ''condemns the indiscriminate artillery fire inside inhabited areas which occurred in violation of international humanitarian law and notably the Geneva Conventions''.

France and Britain also criticised the continuing rocket attacks by Palestinian militants into Israel.

In the West Asia, Jordan's King Abdullah condemned ''the ugly massacre that led to the martyrdom of a number of innocent civilians including children'', state news agency Petra said.

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the world's largest Islamic body, accused Israel of war crimes and asked the United Nations Security Council to take steps to protect Palestinians ''from Israel's brutality and state terrorism''.

Amr Moussa, Secretary-General of the Cairo-based Arab League, said the Israeli attacks were incomprehensible ''massacres'' and said he would call on Arab officials to act.

In Lebanon, thousands of Palestinian students and children took to the streets of the country's largest refugee camp, waving Palestinian flags and urging Arabs to stand up to Israel.

''Oh Arabs where is your pride, they have massacred our people in Gaza,'' the crowds gathered in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp chanted as mosques blared Koranic verses.

Reuters AKJ GC2345