Listen to the audio from the MP3 Player on the right column. || Click here to Download MP3 file 6.6 MB
Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media centre, www.imemc.org for Tuesday July 11th 2006
As the Israeli summer rain continues, one fighter was killed, another injured in Beit Hanoun, three residents were injured in a separate attack, while Palestinian Injuries Suggest Israel is using Chemical Weapons in Gaza, while in the West Bank resistance fires the first Home-made shells, these stories and more coming up stay tuned.
Gaza update
As the Israeli summer rain continues, one fighter was killed, and another injured in Beit Hanoun. Three residents were injured in a separate attack while Palestinian Injuries Suggest Israel is using Chemical Weapons in Gaza
The Palestinian ministry of health revealed on Tuesday that the Israeli army has used a new type of explosive in its offensive on the Gaza Strip. These explosives contain toxics and radioactive materials which burn and tear the victim’s body from the inside and leave long term deformities.
The ministry called upon the international community and the humanitarian organizations to send an international medical team to examine the victims and confirm the truth about these banned weapons that Israel appears to be using.
The ministry showed that most of the injuries which the hospitals receive result from huge explosions, which cause burning and severing of limbs, including the inner parts of the body. This causes long term deformities.
In addition, doctors in Gaza have been forced to amputate limbs of at least 12 injured Palestinians as a result of injuries sustained in the current Israeli offensive on the Strip. D. Jom’a Al Saka the spokesperson of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza:
<Actuality >
"When the Shrapnel hit the body, it causes a very strong burns that destroys the tissues around the bones. When these shrapnel enters the body, it burns and destroys internal organs, like the liver, kidneys and the Spleen and other organs and makes saving the wounded almost impossible. As a surgeon, I have seen thousands of wounds during the Intifada, but nothing was like this weapon."
Palestinian medical sources in Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, also reported on Tuesday that one Palestinian was killed, and three were seriously injured in an Israeli air strike that targeted a vehicle carrying fighters of the Al Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fateh.
The sources identified the resident as Ahmad Shahin, age 22, a member of the Al Aqsa Brigades; another fighter who accompanied Shahin was seriously injured.
Eyewitnesses reported that an Israeli Apache fired at least one missile at the vehicle while it was driving in Beit Hanoun.
On Tuesday at dawn, two residents were seriously injured after an Israeli apache fired a missile at a group of residents who gathered in Al Banat Street in Beit Hanoun, medical sources at Al Awda Hospital reported.
Also, tanks fired several shells at houses and at a bridge in Beit Hanoun, damage was reported.
A Palestinian security source in Beit Hanoun reported that troops targeted the main bridge leading to Beit Hanoun, causing damage to the bridge and several surrounding houses.
In a separate incident, an Israeli military source reported that soldiers attacked Palestinian fighters near the Karni Crossing.
According to the source, the fighters intended to fire homemade shells at Israeli targets.
First Home-made shells launched from the West Bank
Palestinian sources reported that the armed wings of The Islamic Jihad and Fatah, the Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa brigades, claimed responsibility for firing one home-made projectile at an Israeli target on Monday night.
.The projectile, named “The Quds-1”, was fired from the West Bank city of Jenin. The source also reported that the projectile failed to reach its desired target, the Ram Moan Kibbutz. Following the attack, Israeli forces invaded Jenin and conducted sweeps and house-to-house searches in the northern parts of city, where they believe the projectile was launched from.
The statement said that the launching of this projectile is a protest against the Israeli assassination and collective punishment policy that is used against the Palestinian people. Abu Al Saeed from the Islamic Jihad in Jenin:
<Actuality >
"It is not a surprise that the Palestinian factions will respond. The Zionist enemy commits crimes against our people on daily basis in a systematic manner. They targeted Hospitals, Universities, and the latest in Jenin was when the special units attacked a wake in the city and killed two. Therefore we hold the Israeli army responsible for all this."
Firing projectiles from the West Bank against Israeli targets behind the Annexation Wall, built in the West Bank, calls into question the Israeli claim that the Wall was built in order to protect its citizens and as a ‘security measure’.
The Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip has been able to develop projectiles that can be fired a distance of 15 – 20 kilometers.
Army damages several homes in Hebron, attacks three residents
The Israeli army caused considerable damage to several homes in the West Bank town of Yatta, south of Hebron, and attacked three residents Tuesday.
Local sources in town reported that army troops, backed by military jeeps, invaded the Al Qfeer neighborhood and attacked a number of homes "looking for weapons." The home searches coincided with the deployment of troops and installation of checkpoints around the town.
The sources confirmed that soldiers held up dozens of youths and checked their IDs at the new checkpoints. Meanwhile three residents were violently attacked by the soldiers after stopping their vehicles without even having their identity cards checked.
Army invades Tulkarem and arrests six residents
The Israeli army invaded the West Bank city of Tulkarem Tuesday morning, arresting six residents.
The arrestees were identified as Na’eem Al Karmi, 32, Nasser Samara, 25, Ahmad Mahrok, 22, khaled Awwad, Mohamed Abu Khashok, 22, Ebrahem Yassen. All were taken to unknown locations.
Troops searched and ransacked several homes before arresting the six men, local sources reported.
Army arrests five residents from Nablus
The Israeli army invaded the West Bank city of Nablus during a predawn invasion Tuesday, arresting five residents.
Troops stormed the city, searched and ransacked several homes, and forced several families out of their houses at gunpoint. Among the arrested residents are Jamel Fatha, 22, Yousif Hamada, 21, Qayes Jara’a, 22, and Ahmad Hawoabra, 21. All were taken to unknown locations.
The army said they were targeting so called "Wanted Palestinians" by those arrests.
Late Monday night troops arrested Mohamed Yassen, 17, at a military checkpoint south of Nablus while he was going back home from Al Najah National University.
Conclusion
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 Anna-Lise Duerden and Ghassan Bannoura
