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Last update - 12:34 16/05/2008
Assailants set off bomb outside Christian school in Gaza
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Gaza Strip 

Unknown assailants detonated a bomb outside a Christian school in Gaza City before dawn Friday, causing no injuries.

The powerful explosion was heard in surrounding neighborhoods at around 4 A.M. Damage was visible at the entrance to the Zahwa Rosary School, which is run by Catholic nuns but caters mainly to Muslim students.

Police officials from Hamas, the Islamic group that controls Gaza, said they were looking into the incident. A
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Two nuns were in their convent adjacent to the school when the bomb went off, a school official said. The official declined to be named, saying she was frightened by the incident and concerned for her safety.

The incident appeared to be the work of a poorly trained individual or group, she said - police told school officials that the bomb had been set
incorrectly, and it caused little damage.

The bombing was the latest in a string of attacks on Christian institutions in the overwhelmingly Muslim territory. In the most serious attack, a local Christian activist was murdered in October. His killers have not been found.

Friday's bombing was not the first attack on the school run by the Rosary Sisters. The school was ransacked in June, 2007, along with the nuns' adjacent convent, during a week of intense fighting that ended with Hamas' seizure of power.

About 3,200 Christians live in Gaza among 1.4 million Muslims. Relations between Christians and Muslims have traditionally been good, and Christians have held a respected place in Gaza's society as members of the territory's small elite, running schools, hospitals and businesses.

But the tiny community has grown increasingly uneasy since Hamas routed forces of the secular Fatah movement and became the sole power in the territory.

Also on Friday, Israel Air Force troops bombed a mortar shell launching squad in northern Gaza.

Related articles:
  • Gaza's Christians keep low Christmas profile after activist slain
  • Palestinian Christian activist stabbed to death in Gaza
  • Bombs hit Christian bookstore, two Internet cafes in Gaza City
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      1.   Durson + Swiss Dino: Any comments? 09:27  |  Jesus 16/05/08
      2.   Christian Palestinians don`t seem to be real Pals 09:30  |  x-ray 16/05/08
      3.   Christian Palestinians don`t seem to be real Pals 09:30  |  x-ray 16/05/08
      4.   Unknown assailants? 09:57  |  Natallie Durson 16/05/08
      5.   Clickfoo, Sullivan, Dutch Dork? Where are you? 10:08  |  Joe Sittizen 16/05/08
      6.   IDF at its sneaky best 10:13  |  wibism 16/05/08
      7.   SHOCKED??? 10:19  |  Ofer from Ofer 16/05/08
      8.   bombs,children,Christians and terrorists 10:36  |  Connie 16/05/08
      9.   I guess this is why we should hand Jerusalem to the Moslems 10:42  |  Gil 16/05/08
      10.   I guess this is why we should HAND Jerusalem to the Moslems 10:43  |  Gil 16/05/08
      11.   Where`s Silvienne, Dutch at al. to cheer their Brave RESISTANCE 10:58  |  Gil 16/05/08
      12.   jesus 1 11:22  |  potobac 16/05/08
      13.   Where`s Silvienne, Dutch at al. to cheer their Brave RESISTANCE 11:29  |  Gil 16/05/08
      14.   I guess this is why we should HAND Jerusalem to the Moslems 11:30  |  Gil 16/05/08
      15.   Disgusting and cowardly 11:31  |  hala 16/05/08
      16.   #1, are you kidding? 12:00  |  Michael 16/05/08
      17.   IT`S NOT US...... IT`S THE 12:04  |  Robert 16/05/08
      18.   to potobac 13:01  |  harry 16/05/08
      19.   Clearly,the work of agent provocateurs! 13:17  |  lakshmi 16/05/08
      20.   Where`s Silvienne, Dutch at al. to cheer their Brave RESISTANCE 13:23  |  Gil 16/05/08
      21.   THE UNKOWN ASSAILANTS ARE MOSAD AGENTS! 13:25  |  TripleJump 16/05/08
      22.   MOSAD is ending message to Bush.... it is clear who did it! 13:33  |  PalestinianChristian 16/05/08
      23.   A Christian autonomous area needs to be set up around Bethlehem 13:36  |  David G 16/05/08
      24.   Unknown assailants? 14:19  |  Natallie Durson 16/05/08
      25.   #3 potobac 14:42  |  * BEN JABO 16/05/08
      26.   PalestinianChristian 14:56  |  Leon 16/05/08
      27.   Racism and ethnic cleansing in Gaza 15:00  |  x-ray 16/05/08
      28.   Its either Mossad or the BoogeyMan or the Easter Bunny... 15:22  |  Richard S 16/05/08
      29.   Palestinian Brit - Your brothers love you 15:47  |  * BEN JABO 16/05/08
      30.   Answers, Jesus 15:49  |  Murray 16/05/08
      31.   Nothing new here 16:23  |  Rory 16/05/08
      32.   "hala" fighting for Jew-free Hebron wants Christians 16:58  |  Absolute Sweden 16/05/08
      33.   I have to agree with Palestinian Christian 16:59  |  hollingsworth 16/05/08
      34.   We did it 17:55  |  Mossad 16/05/08
      35.   We forgot to add Noah`s flood caused by us too 17:56  |  Mossad 16/05/08
      36.   #3 2ND TRY Potobac - Where & when? 18:03  |  * BEN JABO 16/05/08
      37.   leon 11 18:04  |  potobac 16/05/08
      38.   Nothing unusual , Islamic way of life . 18:43  |  TOMY 16/05/08
      39.   # 8 & # 9, TrippleJump & PalestinianChristian 19:24  |  MichaelF 16/05/08
      40.   To Mossad 19:27  |  MichaelF 16/05/08
      41.   #10 - David G 19:34  |  MichaelF 16/05/08
      42.   Now why would they do that? 20:09  |  Ian Robertson 16/05/08
      43.   Mossad Strikes Again 21:11  |  Reuters 16/05/08
      44.   Jewish settlers attack innocent civilian 21:12  |  Ali Waked - Ynet 16/05/08
      45.   Jews force innocent Muslims to attack Christians 21:15  |  BBC 16/05/08
      46.   #3, potobac... 00:25  |  Silvienne 17/05/08
      47.   #7, Gil--well, as it happens... 00:30  |  Silvienne 17/05/08
      48.   #29 Silvienne - I asked him the same thing IN #19 03:06  |  * BEN JABO 17/05/08
      49.   #30 Ali Waked - Any relation to Ali Baba 03:30  |  * BEN JABO 17/05/08
      50.   #331 BBC 03:33  |  Ibn Musa 17/05/08
      51.   #3 potobac 03:39  |  malone 17/05/08
      52.   We kidnapped Al Mehdi held our custody for 1200 years 06:37  |  Mossad 17/05/08
      53.   #1. Jesus. Yes, WE may well ask WHO is behind THIS.? 20:24  |  Jean Paul 17/05/08
      54.   #5 Joe S. Someone is really trying hard to get the Xtians against 20:44  |  Sandy Michel 17/05/08
      55.   #8Connie. NO CHRISTANS are in the cross air 20:49  |  Ghanneh 17/05/08
      56.   #Gil 11.Do you honestly believe that this rubbish. 20:52  |  Joshua 17/05/08
      57.   #16. Michael. WE do not have to think had.WE know 20:56  |  Gordon. 17/05/08
      58.   #18. Harry, you could be right harry ,who knows. 21:00  |  Doug 17/05/08
      59.   #23.david. Agree a third of JERUSALEM should be created for the C 21:08  |  Andre 17/05/08
      60.   This is the real APPARTHEID from the people who blame Israel 08:18  |  Dan 18/05/08
      61.   #54 Ghanneh - You`re not living together 03:29  |  * BEN JABO 19/05/08
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