Hamas accused of UN aid snatch

The United Nations is demanding the return of food parcels and blankets it says were seized by Hamas police from a warehouse.

The United Nations is accusing Hamas police officers of seizing aid from this warehouse in Gaza.

It says hundreds of blankets and food parcels destined for Palestinian families were taken after staff refused to hand over the supplies to the Hamas-run Ministry of Social Affairs.

Hamas denies the allegations but UN officials say they want the aid back immediately.

SOUNDBITE: Christopher Gunness, UNWRA spokesman, saying (English):

"I condemn that in the strongest terms and demand that this aid is returned. Of course we have been mandated by the international community to distribute this to the needy people of Gaza and this aid must go to the needy people of Gaza so we want it back and we want it distributed properly."

In a separate development Israel has admitted one of its tanks killed three girls whose father's cries on live television shocked Israeli viewers but says it's been cleared of hitting a UN school.

The Haaretz newspaper quotes a UN humanitarian co-ordinator in Jerusalem as saying mortar shells fell near the compound and the 43 people who died were not inside the school - Israel's government is welcoming the report.

SOUNDBITE: Yigal Palmor, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, saying (English):

"The school was not hit. It was never struck by IDF fire. We have said that since the beginning and we are happy to discover today that the UN has finally acknowledged this."

Some UN officials in Gaza say only an independent inquiry will establish what really happened.

Paul Chapman, Reuters