WASHINGTON, May 23 (IslamOnline) - Palestinian authorities accused Israel Tuesday of allegedly distributing poisonous candy among Palestinian children.
Palestinian presidential secretary Tayeb Abdel Rahim told Voice of Palestine radio that, "Israel is fighting us on all fronts. They threw from their planes poisoned chocolates and some of our children were poisoned."
The Palestinian health ministry has stated that nine people, mostly children, have been poisoned by eating, or even just touching, poisonous candies in the Beit Lahia area, north of Gaza city.
The ministry warned the public to be on guard against the suspected candies. It added that those infected experience stomach pains, or eye and throat infections.
Shifa Hospital in Gaza said that it treated six people who complained of food poisoning on Sunday.
The Israelis, however, rejected the allegation calling it a propaganda campaign by the Palestinians to foment hatred. "The only poisoning element in the region is Palestinian propaganda," Israeli public radio quoted a foreign ministry official as saying.
Palestinian authorities have sent samples of the suspect candies to Egypt for lab tests.
