Survivors of an attack on a house that left at least 30 Palestinians dead almost a week ago are now telling their stories. They say the Israeli army moved more than 100 civilians into a house, which was later hit by shells.

A UN aid agency report quotes eyewitnesses as saying the incident occurred at the Zeitun district of Gaza City.

Half of the victims were children.

Although this 13-year-old Palestinian survived, the tragic scenes linger in his mind.

House attack survivor Ahmed Samouni said, "The Jews came to the house and beat us. They put us in one house, close to 150 people in a small house like this hospital room. They put us inside and then fired at us from above."

The boy also said the Israeli shelling left most of people inside the house either dead or injured.

Many of the survivors were trapped under the debris, unable move an inch.

Ahmed Samouni said, "I got up alone. I had my wound tied. I got up and gave the injured water, trying to hide from tanks and aircraft."

Rescue workers were initially denied access to the house by the Israeli military.

They did get in until four days after the shelling.

Doctor Khales Abu Zayed said, "We started calling. Is there anyone alive here in this house? We then heard the voice of children. We broke the door and entered and there were four injured kids on the ground, between them there were 16 martyrs. The mother of the four children was there and dead she was carrying a baby about five months old."

The top UN human rights official, Navi Pillay, has singled out this incident at a special session in Geneva. She called for accountability for any violations of international law.

The Israeli military denies troops forced civilians into a particular building, which was then shelled.

An investigation is underway.

(CCTV January 12, 2009)