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Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre www.imemc.org for Tuesday November 7, 2006.

Nine Palestinians, including one woman, are killed and eleven are injured in several Gaza Strip areas, while in the West Bank the army continues to invade cities and abducts residents. These stories and more, coming up. Stay tuned.

The Gaza Update

Four residents were injured Tuesday evening after the Israeli army shelled Al Sha'sha'ah area east of Jabaliah in the northern Gaza Strip. Dr. Mu'awiyah Hasaneen, the head of the Aid and Emergency in the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that Al 'Awdah hospital received four injured residents, two of whom are in critical condition and will be moved to Al Shifa Hospital. Dr Hasaneen added that there are two other bodies whose identities are not yet known. Five others were injured in Al Waha area, west of Biet Lahia town in the northern part of the strip. The paramedics are trying to evacuate them from the area at the time of this report.

Palestinian medical sources reported that one resident was killed and two others were injured Tuesday afternoon when the Israeli army fired rounds of live ammunition at the residents near the American School west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip.

Dr Hasaneen, said that Israeli forces fired randomly at the residents standing near the American School and killed one resident from Al Shata’ Refugee Camp, west of Gaza City and injured two others.

Moreover, on Tuesday afternoon one resident was killed and four were injured, one seriously when an Israeli fighter jet fired a missile at a group of resistance fighters near the American School in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The fighter was a member of the Al Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah.

Earlier on Tuesday, Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that six Palestinians, including one woman, were killed in several incidents in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. At least five Palestinians were injured.

On Tuesday morning, three Palestinians were killed and several others were injured when the Israeli army shelled the house of Palestinian legislative Council member Jameela Al Shanti, east of the Jabalia Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. Eyewitnesses reported that an Israeli helicopter fired two missiles at the house of Al Shanti killing three Palestinians, including one woman and completely destroying the house. Al Shanti was not at home when her house was shelled. The casualties also included two members of Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.

Also on Tuesday, two fighters from Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, were killed by Israeli military fire in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Local sources reported that the fighters exchanged fire with under-cover units of the Israeli army who were topping the houses in the town.

On Tuesday at dawn, Israeli forces evacuated from Beit Hanoun but remained stationed around it ending an operation Israeli called “Autumn Clouds”. At least 63 Palestinians were killed and 250 – 300 were injured, 40 seriously; among the injured were children, women and elderly. The operation also caused massive destruction to private and public constructions and farmlands.

West Bank Update

This afternoon, an Israeli undercover unit backed by at least 18 armored vehicles invaded the West Bank city of Ramallah and arrested three residents, whose names remain unknown. A number of Israeli armored vehicles also invaded the West Bank city of Tulkarem, its refugee camp and one of its suburbs. No prisoners were taken, but an Israeli drone is said to be flying over the area. 

Israeli newspaper Jerusalem post reported that the Israeli security service released information about a group of Palestinian women claimed to be members of a secret cell recruited for the Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine. The movement has completely denied the allegations saying the named women have nothing to do with the Islamic Jihad movement.

Palestinian medical sources in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, reported that one resident was shot and injured after a settler from the Keryat Arba' settlement, east of Hebron, opened fire at him while he was standing near the settlement fence. The resident, identified as Hasan Al Ja'bary, 54, had been herding his sheep near his home located beside the settlement fence and near an Israeli military camp when a settler shot him and fled the scene. Al Ja’bary was injured by a round of live ammunition and was admitted to surgery at the Hebron Hospital in the city, according to medical sources.

Soldiers also invaded several neighborhoods in the West Bank town of Dura, south of Hebron on Tuesday at dawn, and abducted two residents after breaking into their homes.  Israeli troops also broke into the house of Muneer Abu Ghush, 45, who had been wanted by the Israeli army since the beginning of the second Intifada for his affiliation with Hamas. Soldiers searched his home but failed to arrest him.

The Israeli army invaded the northern West Bank city of Nablus and the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem Tuesday at dawn, fired rounds of live ammunition and abducted twenty-two residents in the West Bank areas.

Local sources reported that a large number of Israeli soldiers invaded several Nablus neighborhoods and its Al Ein refugee camp on Tuesday at dawn and abducted fifteen residents. Troops deployed inside the city and broke into several homes, including the home of Palestinian legislator, Ahmad Al Haj Ali, and Bassam Na'eem, the head of the Teachers' Union in the Nablus district. Troops also invaded Al ‘Ein Refugee Camp in Nablus and took prisoner fifteen residents, including some from the same family.

Moreover, the Israeli army invaded ‘Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem and the nearby town of Beit Jala, and abducted eight residents, seven from ‘Aida and one from Beit Jala. Soldiers broke into several homes and searched them thoroughly before taking the eight, to unknown locations.

Meanwhile, Fateh legislator, Mohammad Dahlan, said on Tuesday that the meetings between president Mahmoud Abbas, and Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya, were serious and detailed, and that they discussed and solved several important issues, but the formation of the government needs some time.  On the other hand, Hamas sources said that it may nominate Minister of Health, Dr. Bassem Naim, to head the to-be-formed national unity government.


Conclusion


Thank you for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org brought to you by Caysha Cay & George Rishmawi.