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Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media Centre www.imemc.org for Thursday July 13Th, 2006
Two more Palestinians die in Israeli air strikes, 25 in less than 24 hours, Israelis attack just 16 kilometers From Beirut, and prisoners go on hunger strike in Nablus detention center.
These stories and more coming up, stay tuned.
Two more Palestinians die in Israeli air strikes, 25 in less than 24 hours
Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that two residents died today from injuries suffered in separate attacks. One was seriously injured on Wednesday near Dir Al Balah, while the other was injured in an earlier attack. In total, at least ten residents, including children, were injured in Gaza.
A medical source at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported that Mahmoud Al Attar, 18, died of wounds suffered yesterday near the Kissufim crossing, close to Dir Al Balah in the Central Gaza Strip. The attack also killed five other residents.
The source added that Nathmi Aziz, 21, died of wounds suffered several days ago during an Israeli attack that targeted the towns of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, in the Gaza Strip.
On Thursday at dawn, Soldiers shelled the building of the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Tal Al Hawa neighborhood in southern Gaza City Thursday at dawn, injuring several residents.
The shelled building includes several ministries; Israeli soldiers fired at least two missiles at the office of Mahmoud Al Zahhar, the Palestinian Foreign Minister.
The building and several surrounding houses were damaged. At least ten residents, mostly children, were injured in the attack;
Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, five children were killed and at least seven were injured after Israeli soldiers fired a missile at a playground in Dir Al Balah Wednesday evening.
The children, lacking electricity in their homes after the army bombed the only power generators in the Gaza Strip, were playing in a playground in the evacuated settlement of Kfar Darom near Dir Al Balah when the attack happened.
Israel Attacks Just 16 kilometers From Beirut
Israeli warplanes and gunboats struck a Lebanese Resistance base 16 kilometers south of Beirut late Wednesday, Lebanese security officials said, in the closest raid to the Lebanese capital since fighting erupted in southern Lebanon after guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers.
Warplanes flew over the Naameh base in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean, about 16 kilometers south of Beirut. Gunboats fired from the sea and explosions rang out across the area. There was no immediate word on casualties.
The base is run by the Syrian-backed Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command and was a frequent target for Israeli attacks in the past.
The attack comes after Israeli warplanes pounded more than 30 targets in Southern Lebanon. Israeli leaders, blamed for the capture of the soldiers, promised a painful retaliation.
Hezbollah said its fighters destroyed two Israeli tanks that attempted to cross the border on two different occasions Wednesday. Israeli ground troops entered southern Lebanon on Wednesday to search for the two soldiers captured earlier in the day by Hezbollah guerrillas, Israeli government officials said.
The Israeli army announced the names of the two captured; Eyhod Goldfaser, 31, from the Israeli town of Naharia, and Eldad Righef, 26, from Hiafa.
Prisoners go on hunger strike in Nablus detention center
Palestinian prisoners at the Hawara Israeli military detention center in the West Bank City of Nablus went on a hunger strike Wednesday to protest an Israeli higher court of justice ruling that the sentence of one of the longest serving Palestinian administrative detainees will not be shortened.
Majdi Al-Shuruf was arrested in August of 2001. His latest detention order expires on July 20. The Palestinian Information Center reported that if his detention is renewed, which would be for the 13th consecutive time, Shuruf would be the second longest serving administrative detainee.
The Hawara prisoners said they are also protesting harsh treatment of university lecturer Mustafa Al-Shannar after he was arrested Wednesday.
Fayez Al-Zarbam, lawyer for the Palestinian prisoners’ support society, told the Palestinian Information Center that guards had shackled Shannar’s hands to his back for several hours while knowing that he has back problems and breathing difficulties.
Zarba added that the prison authority did not allow him to give Shannar medicine, prompting the Prisoner Society to contact human rights organizations to put pressure on Israeli authorities to allow proper medical treatment for Shannar until he is released.
Settlers attack Palestinian cars south of Nablus
A group of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian cars and buses south of the West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday morning.
Palestinian drivers and passengers said the settlers threw empty glass bottles and stones while the army watched and only provided protection for the settlers. The attack happened at the southern road connecting Nablus with nearby villages and the rest of the West Bank.
Army arrests three residents from the West Bank
The Israeli army arrested three residents after invading several West Bank cities and villages on Thursday.
Ala Kan’an, a student at Al Najah University in Nablus, was arrested at a military checkpoint at the entrance to the village of Anbta after soldiers stopped the car he was in to check IDs. He was taken to an unknown location
The army stormed the Al Mawaleh area south of Bethlehem Thursday morning, arresting Faries Nawoaora, 23.
Soldiers also arrested Shadi Abahra, 19, from the village of Al Yamon during a predawn invasion.
Conclusion
Thanks for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem you have been listening to Palestine Today for the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org brought to you by Stacie Miller, Milissa Simpson and Ghassan Bannoura.
