Army kidnaps 20 Palestinian civilians from Beit Hannon in northern Gaza

Thursday April 24, 2008 12:55 by Ghassan Bannoura & Rami Al Mughari - IMEMC News & Agencies

Palestinians sources reported that the Israeli army has kidnapped so far 20 Palestinians civilians during the ongoing military operation targeting the town of Beit Hannon in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli tanks at the Gaza Strip borders – File 2007

Witnesses said that soldiers have taken a number of home and using them as military posts. They added that troops rounded up at least 20 men and took them to unknown location.

An elderly Palestinian man from northern Gaza Strip was killed earlier on Thursday morning after Israeli army tanks rolled into the area and began shooting heavily.

Palestinian medical sources said that Dawood aL-Kafarna, in his fifties, was transferred to a local hospital after having been shot dead by rounds of live ammunition.

Witnesses said that more than 30 Israeli armored vehicles, including tanks, thrust a few hundred meters into the Beit Hanoun city in northern Gaza Strip as accompanying bulldozers began razing vast areas of Palestinian-owned farm lands there.

In response to the Israeli incursion, the Al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, opened heavy fire at a number of tanks, and the fighters engaged in gun battles with the invading forces,Al-Qassam brigades announced in a statement, faxed to press.

Spokesperson of the Israeli army, Avihay Adre'y, told media outlets that the military operation in northern Gaza was limited and that the army is not giving details about its objectives, until the operation is over.

gaza strip | israeli attacks | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org