Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org, for Wednesday January 3rd, 2007.|| Click here to Download MP3 file 5.44 MB || time:5m 57s || (Click here for Italian )
Six Palestinian were killed in the Gaza Strip, among them a child and two women, while in the West Bank the Israeli army abducted several Palestinians. These stories and more coming up, stay tuned.
The Gaza Update
Six Palestinian were killed on Wednesday in the Gaza Strip. Among them were one child and two women.
Palestinian sources reported that two members of the preventative security forces were killed and another one was critically wounded in clashes between Palestinian security forces in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza strip on Wednesday evening. Medical sources identified the two killed as Osama Shami and Anwar Najjar, while Osama Nassar was injured. Local sources in Khan Younis stated that the three were in front of the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis city when they were shot by executive forces troops, killing the two and critically injuring the other.
One Palestinian young woman was killed and six men injured in renewed clashes between Palestinian factions in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday afternoon, Palestinian sources reported. Eyewitnesses reported that a gunfight erupted in the refugee camp between the executive force of the Palestinian ministry of interior and members of the Palestinian Preventative Security forces.
Medical sources said that Mona Salha, 22, was wounded by a live round to the head. She was moved to Kamal Adwan hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after.
According to the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), the gunfight started when officers from the executive force stopped the car of Mohamed Ghareb, a high ranking officer in the Palestinian Preventative security forces. Two of his body guards were kidnapped while Ghareb's car was set on fire. The source added that other members of the executive force who were guarding the house of Parliament member Ismael Al-Ashqar also were involved in the kidnapping. Clashes erupted later near the houses of Col. Ghareb. Six were injured, three from each group.
A group of unknown gunmen opened fire and killed a member of Al Aqsa brigades, the armed wing of the Fatah movement, in Beit Lahiyia town in the northern part of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday afternoon.
Dr. Mou'awiah Hassanin, the director of the emergency department in the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that Ala Abu Al Nasser, 22, was admitted to the Kamal Adawan hospital in Beit Lahiyia were he was pronounced dead due to a fatal gunshot wound to his head. Eyewitnesses said that Al Nasser was on top of his friend's house when he was targeted by a group of masked gunmen who shot him and fled the scene. No Palestinian armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Palestinian security sources reported on Wednesday morning that a group of masked gunmen injured and kidnapped a Palestinian security officer in Khan Younis city, in the southern Gaza. Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen opened fire on Mo'taz Al Tawil, 40, an officer working with the Palestinian Preventative Security forces, while he was leaving a mosque in Khan Younis at dawn. He was shot and injured before he was forced into a vehicle that fled the scene.
The Israeli forces stationed at the northern border of the Gaza Strip opened fire at a Palestinian man and injured him on Wednesday midday. Mohamed Ishehada, 25, was shot by Israeli troops and was transported to Kamal Adawan hospital in nearby Beit Lahia town for treatment. His injury was described as moderate.
The bodies of a child and a woman were found in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, Palestinian Medical sources reported. Dr. Mou'awiah Hassanin, reported that Sami Ashour, 14, was found dead near a gas station in central Gaza. Dr. Hassanin added that the boy had been beaten very badly, with evidence of torture, and shot in the back.
Meanwhile Dr. Hassanin identified the woman as Halimah Al Najar, 40, and stated that her body was dumped near a residential area in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. She had bruises all over her body, Dr Hassanin said. Security sources reported that the body was moved to the forensic department for further examination.
The West Bank Update
The Israeli army invaded the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Tubas on Wednesday at dawn, attacked residents' homes, wounded one resident and abducted three including the wounded, Palestinian sources reported. Murad Qassab, said to be a Fatah Activist, was abducted by Israeli troops along with his brother Ala', who was lightly wounded when troops blew up the door of the family house before invading.
In the meantime, also in the northern West Bank, Israeli forces invaded the city of Tubas and surrounded the home of Sa'eda Sawaftah, 36, for several hours before breaking into the home. They searched and damaged family belongings before taking Sawaftah to an unknown detention camp. Sawaftah is the mother of three children. In the afternoon, Israeli soldiers stationed at the Huwwara checkpoint, south of Nablus, abducted two Palestinian men while another man was taken prisoner from a nearby village.
Conclusion
Thank you for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org brought to you by Jack Talhami and Ghassan Bannoura.
