High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Qibya Massacre occurred in October 1953 when Israeli troops under Ariel Sharon attacked the village of Qibya in the West Bank. Sixty-nine Arabs were killed, many while hiding in houses blown up over their heads. Forty-five houses, a school, and a mosque were destroyed. The act was condemned by the U.S. State Department, the UN Security Council, and by Jewish communities worldwide. As a result, aid was temporarily suspended to Israel. The operation was codenamed Operation Shoshana by the Israel Defense Force (IDF). It was carried out by two Israeli units at night: a paratroop company and Unit 101, a special forces unit of the IDF.