Posted on 10/07/2004 1:29:18 PM PDT by yonif
(IsraelNN.com) An explosion occurred a short time ago in the Taba Hilton, on the Egyptian side of the border. According preliminary reports from Magen David Adom emergency medical service officials, the cause of the blast was a gas tank.
There are unconfirmed reports of dozens of injured. The IDF has already ordered helicopters into the air and MDA is mobilizing to treat the many wounded in the blast. Details to follow as they become available.
For a limited number. 3 ambulances reported at last newsflash. However, Israelis on scene have not seen any Israeli medical forces.
Egyptians doing piss poor job aiding the injured. Reports of injured still laying on the ground at the hotel.
It sounds like quite disgraceful behavior, and I hope that verifiable reports of such outrageous actions will follow. Not that the MSM will pick it up, but it is important that the bad guys are recognized and remembered later.
Hope after Isreal gets their citizens over safely they seal up the entire Egyptian border real tight for a long time.
Local time of blast occuring at 10PM.
Haaretz:
Rescue workers locate two conscious people who are trapped under the rubble; they`re trying to get them out
ZAKA is reporting tens of fatalities at the scene.
Arabic Radio reported that Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Conflicting reports point to either a car bomb or a suicide bomb attack.
Egyptians Hampering Rescue Efforts After Taba Hotel Bombing
23:18 Oct 07, '04 / 22 Tishrei 5765
ZAKA reports tens of fatalities and 16 injured have been brought to Eilat's Yoseftal Hospital.
Preliminary reports indicated that Israeli rescue personnel were not permitted to cross into Egypt at first to care for the dozens of wounded. Several lightly injured hotel guests made their way to the Israeli border by foot and were evacuated to Eilat's Yoseftal hospital.
According to Channel 1, Israeli rescue personnel was only permitted to cross the border after half and hour had past due to a call from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to Egyptian Prime Minister Hosni Mubarak.
IDF helicopters and members of the Homefront Command's Search and Rescue Unit are waiting at the Israeli border to evacuate the wounded but so far only MDA has been authorized to enter Egypt to treat those wounded in the blast.
"Eight victims with light injuries are being treated at Yoseftal hospital," Dr. Yaakov Hart told Channel 1 Television at 10:45 PM. "We prepared the hospital for an hour so far to receive those injured but for some reason they haven't yet arrived."
Magen David Adom emergency medical service Chief of Operations Yeruham Mandola said that there are “tens of wounded" still at the scene of the Taba Hilton explosion.
ZAKA is reporting tens of fatalities at the scene.
Arabic Radio reported that Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Conflicting reports point to either a car bomb or a suicide bomb attack.
According to a Reshet Bet News Radio report, interviewing an Israeli present outside the Taba Hilton, the damage from the blast is significant, adding the situation is one of general panic and hysteria. Many Israelis are reported in the hotel area, and there is a power outage, further hampering rescue efforts.
Despite several warnings to refrain from vacationing in Egypt, Israelis have flocked to hotels in Sinai during the past month's holidays.
The Foreign Ministry has declared a State of Emergency.
Egypt refusing to open border; Israel pressuring them to do so to aid evacuation of Israeli casualties (IDF Radio).
Still nothing on the news except scrawls.
Where's the cameras?
Israeli Security Forces: Growing evidence terrorist car bomb
Eilat hospital calling on doctors at surrounding hotels to get to the hospital to aid casualties.
you are hopeless
Not sure. Many Israelis with cellphones in the surrounding area near the hotel calling into IDF radio and describing what they saw.
Many Israeli children injured.
fyi...
Many injured still laying on ground infront of hotel, but Egypt giving Israelis problems on their requests to evacuate them.
My guess is the Egyptians aren't letting in camera crews.
AFP/SKY NEWS: Second explosion in the same region.
Whoa!!!!!
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