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Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media centre, www.imemc.org for Thursday July 6th, 2006
The army offensive continues with 17 Palestinians and One Israeli soldier killed in Israeli invasion to Gaza meanwhile army invades Al Nabi Elias and Azon villages east of Qalqilia and arrests several residents, also eight residents arrested from Atil village near Tulkarem
These stories and more coming up…stay tuned.
17 Palestinians and One Israeli soldier killed in Israeli invasion to Gaza
At least nine Palestinians have been killed in two separate attacks which targeted the northern and southern areas in the Gaza Strip Thursday afternoon, raising the death toll to 17 in the past 18 hours of the latest Israeli military invasion into the Gaza Strip.
Seven Palestinians were killed in an air strike against Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip and two others were killed in another air strike which targeted Abasan area near the city of Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Dr. Mohamed Al Shami, spokesperson of Nasser hospital in Khan Younis,
< Dr. Mohamed Al Shami – Voice>
"Eight where brought to the hospital at 1:00 pm, two were already dead and were severely mutilated due to Israeli army shells, the other six where moderately wounded. If this invasion continues there will be instability in the services due to the lake of fuel, medical supplies and equipments".
Medical sources reported a total of at least 60 injuries Thursday, in addition to hundreds who were treated for shock, especially children.
On the other hand, the Popular Resistance Committees declared responsibility for killing an Israeli soldier in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
A statement by the group said that a Palestinian sniper shot the soldier in his head, while sitting on his unit’s tank which invaded the city Thursday afternoon.
At noon time, Israeli military opened random fire from their gun boats at civilians in Deir al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip killing one resident on the spot.
Mohammad Al-Attar, 20, was killed when troops invaded Al-Attatra area and opened random fire at the residents there.
Al-Attar was wounded in the chest first, and bled to death, as the Israeli forces obstructed the ambulance that came to evacuate him.
Dr. Sa’eed Joudeh at the Kamal Udwan hospital said Al-Attar died upon arrival to the hospital.
Earlier, five others were killed as Israeli war planes launched air strikes against the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip, three in the south and two in the north.
Qassam brigade operative, Osama Hijazi, was killed in Al-Soudania area in the northern Gaza Strip after Israeli Apaches fired three missiles at the area.
Few minutes later, Rami Abu Hashem, a police officer, was killed as Israeli apaches shelled the same place. Nine others were injured in the attack, three of which suffer serious injuries.
Khalil Al-Sheikh a resident in Beit Lahia says the invasion started in the early hours of the morning.
<Khalil Al-Sheikh – Voice>
"The invasion started Thursday at dawn. War planes bombed a site for Al Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas. During the day the invasion intensified, the tanks that were driving through residential areas received back up by Apaches which fired heavy machine guns and missiles and the residents’ homes and gatherings."
Also Thursday morning, apaches shelled Al-Sudaniya area again and killed Abdullah Zammar, member of al-Qassam brigade, the armed wing of Hamas, and several others were wounded.
The Israeli army claimed they fired missiles at groups preparing to launch home-made Qassam shells.
Two journalists were injured near the borders of Beit Hanoun city in the northern Gaza Strip, close to the Israeli military checkpoint Erez, in a drive-by shooting by an unknown car.
Army invades Al Nabi Elias and Azon villages east of Qalqilia and arrests several residents
Several residents were injured after Israeli army troops invaded Al Nabi Elias and Azon villages east of the West Bank city Qalqilia and searched several houses, Thursday at dawn.
Troops also arrested several residents, including Nimer Hanon, 29, Ghareeb Hanon, 27, Theeb Hanon, 25, Ameen Abu Halema, 26, Yasser Saleem, 22, all were taken to unknown locations, local sources reported
Army arrests eight residents from Atil village near Tulkarem
The Israeli army troops have arrested eight residents from Atil village north of the West Bank city of Tulkarem Thursday at dawn.
Among the arrestees were Sanad Tahlawi, 18, Mo’men Agamji, 19, Eihab Ba’ga, 19, and Mohamed Makhol, 24. All eight were arrested and taken to unknown locations, eyewitnesses reported.
Troops and army jeeps stormed the village and searched several homes before arresting the eight, local residents said
Israel charges PLC members in military court
Thursday morning Israeli army charged the ministers and PLC members with being affiliated with Hamas in military courts in Salem, north of the West Bank city of Jenin and in Ofer, south of the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Khaled Dusuqi, lawyer of the prisoners’ supporter society in Ramallah said Wednesday that the Palestinian ministers and the PLC members captured by the Israeli army last week are treated harshly and are humiliated by the Israeli soldiers in Al Jalamah detention center.
Army invades the West Bank city of Nablus
The Israeli army carried out two invasions to the West Bank city of Nablus Thursday, local sources reported.
Troops invaded the city at dawn, searched several houses and then turned the roof tops of several residents’ houses into military posts.
Residents tried to resume their every day life when military vehicles left the city but the troops returned a few hours later and positioned themselves in various locations in the city, said eyewitnesses.
Nablus has been subject to frequent invasions in the past few months, because Israel claims it is targeting armed resistance groups.
Closing
And that’s just some of the news for today in Palestine. For constant updates, check out the International Middle East Media Center website, www.IMEMC.org. As always, thanks for joining us. From Occupied Bethlehem, this is Palestine today, brought to you by Stacie Miller, Maia Williams Carpenter and Ghassan Bannoura
