Reuters Pictures
Graffiti is seen on a wall in the Samouni family house in Gaza City February 8, 2009. During Israel's 22-day land, air and sea assault on the impoverished Gaza Strip, the army seized control of a number of strategically placed buildings throughout the territory, such as a farming area south of the city of Gaza, outside densely populated districts. Other areas where soldiers left graffiti on the walls of ransacked homes include Tawam, where olive groves were pulverised in an apparent bid to better defend the seized buildings, and the upmarket Sudaniya district by the sea. An army spokesman told Reuters, the Israel Defense Forces would take a severe view of any damage caused to property. He said, "Furthermore, any such action was a direct transgression of instructions given to our soldiers prior to the mission." Picture taken February 8, 2009.
