Palestinian medical source in Gaza reported four Palestinians were killed and several others were injured after the army fired artillery shells at the Salah Ed Deen Junction in the southern part of the Gaza Strip Wednesday afternoon. A total of 19 residents, including a married couple and their seven children, were killed Wednesday.
A medical source at Nasser Medical Center in Khan Younis reported that soldiers based at the Kissufim Crossing fired an artillery shell at residents gathering on Salah Ed Deen Road.
The four residents were identified as Tamer Jamal Moharib, 20, Mohammad Khamis Al Masry, 21, Jom’a Islayyim, and Fadi Qdeih.
Soldiers fired a shell at an ambulance attempting to evacuate the injured residents. The ambulance was destroyed though no injuries were reported.
A Palestinian policeman was killed Wednesday afternoon after the army shelled an area close to the Palestinian police station in the town of Al Qarara, north of Khan Younis.
The officer was identified as Salama Al Basheety, 20. Several residents were injured in the attack and were transferred to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
Two residents killed, four injured in Dir Al Balah
Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies – Wednesday, 12 July 2006, 14:21
Two residents were killed and at least four more were injured after the Israeli army fired artillery shells at a group of Palestinians who gathering in the town of Dir Al Balah, Palestinian medical source reported.
The source identified the killed residents as Tareq Nassar, 19, and Hamza Al Hourani, 20.
The two are said to be members of the Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad.
One of the injured residents is in a serious condition.
The attack took place after residents and fighters gathered at the “bridge area”, in Kissufim east of Dir Al Balah.
Earlier on Tuesday, soldiers invaded Dir Al Balah and fired at dozens of houses there. Troops broke into the house of Mohammad Salman Mohareb, and detained him along with thirty members of his family and residents in one room and used the house as a military post and monitoring tower.
Also, troops topped a house near Abu Holy Junction, south of Dir Al Balah, local sources reported.
In a separate attack in dir Al Balah, soldiers based at Abu Holy Junction fired a tank shell at a vehicle injuring two residents.
The two were identified as Tareq Nassar, 19, and Hamza Al Hourani, 20.
Husband, his wife and their seven children killed by Israeli shells in Gaza
Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies – Wednesday, 12 July 2006, 14:02
Dr. Jom’a Al Saqqa, head of the public relations office at al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, reported on Wednesday that the Israeli army shelled a Palestinian house in Gaza city killing a husband, his wife and their seven children.
Dr. Al Saqqa identified the killed family members as Nabil Abu Salmiya, his wife Salwa, both 39, and their seven children were identified as Nasrallah, Basima, 16, Sumayya, 12, Huda, 8, Eman, 11, Aya, 7, and Yahia, 13.
At least 37 residents were injured in the attack, three seriously. Most of the injured residents are children.
The building was targeted by two missiles fired from an F-16 fighter-jet. It was completely demolished while damage was reported to several surrounding houses.
Dr. Al Saqqa added that the bodies of the killed family members were severely mutilated and burnt which made it difficult to identify them. Two members of the same family were rescued after civil defense teams managed to evacuate them after they were buried under the rubble for four hours.
None of the killed and injured residents is affiliated with any resistance group.
Army claimed targeting a senior leader of Hamas’ armed wing, Mohammad Deif, and several leaders of the Al Qassam Brigades, several leaders of Hamas’ armed wing were present at the targeted house, according to army sources.
The army added that Deif was at the house of Abu Salmiya, one of the leaders of the Hamas movement.
Meanwhile, Abu Obeida, media spokesperson of the brigades, said that Deif was unharmed in the attack.
Also on Wednesday, Israeli air force fired missiles at a Palestinian vehicle in Gaza, several residents were injured.
Abu Obeida, media spokesperson of the Al Qassam Brigades, denied the Israeli claims adding that Israel it attempting to “cover its crime after targeting a civilian house”.
