The Lebanese Army is continuing to shell a refugee camp near Tripoli that houses over 40,000 Palestinians. For the past three days the camp has been under siege as Lebanese troops have battled with gunmen from the group Fatah al-Islam. At least 79 people have died since Sunday in the bloodiest internal fighting since the end of Lebanon’s civil war. Palestinian sources in the camp said the number of civilian deaths could rise as rescue workers have not been able to reach some of the wounded. Food, water and aid supplies are running out inside the camp. The fighting began after members of Fatah al-Islam robbed a bank on Sunday. The Lebanese government accuses the group of having ties with al-Qaeda and the Syrian government, but the group denies the accusations. On Monday, Palestinian leaders in Lebanon called for a ceasefire. This is Ali Shaaban of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Ali Shaaban: “Palestinian groups and factions call on the Lebanese army to halt its policy of chaotic shelling which has destroyed houses and killed and wounded 50 civilians.”

Meanwhile in Washington, State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack said the Bush administration supports the actions of the Lebanese government.

Sean McCormack: “The Lebanese armed forces are doing an admirable job on behalf of the Lebanese government and the Lebanese people to bring law and order back to this area of Lebanon, and it’s well within their rights to do so.”

There has also been sporadic violence in Beirut. Last night a bomb exploded injuring 10 people.