Thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank held massive protests expressing support with the Gaza Strip, subject to ongoing Israeli military aggression, and chanted slogans denouncing the Israeli assaults and the silence of the International Community.Massive protests were held in Beit Ummar, near Hebron, Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah, Bethlehem Nablus, Jenin and different areas in the occupied West Bank.
The protesters, including members of different Palestinian factions, stated that the silence of the International Community while Israel continues its crimes against the civilians, including the children, is a clear sign of complicity with these crimes.
Israeli soldiers also invaded the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem after the residents marched in solidarity with Gaza. The army fired gas bombs and rubber-coated bullets.
For the second day, thousands marched in the streets of Nablus, in the northern part of the West Bank, and called for holding Israel accountable for its crimes.
Armed resistance groups in Gaza continued to fire missiles and shells into different areas in Israel leading to several injuries.
Israeli Ynet News reported that Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, agreed Friday to call up approximately 16,000 reserve soldiers, while Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, initially wanting around 32,000 soldiers called up.
Ynet added that the Israeli army is preparing to conduct a ground offensive against Gaza, depending on the developments in the region, and depending on success of hitting designated targets in the coastal region.
Israel claims that, since starting the offensive Wednesday, the army managed to hit 500 targets allegedly used by the armed resistance in Gaza, including 250 targets that were bombarded on Thursday night.
On Friday, the Israeli Air Force fired several missiles into Jabalia town, in northern Gaza, killing two Palestinians, including one child, and wounded seven other residents, mainly children, after an Israeli missile hit a home in the town.
On Thursday evening, three Palestinian children were killed when the army bombarded a home in as-Sikka Street, in Beit Hanoun.
Ashraf al-Qorda, spokesperson of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, reported that the slain civilians were identified as Fares al-Basyouni, 9; Odai Jamal Nasser, 16; and Tareq Jamal Nasser, 14. The mother of Odai and Tareq suffered serious injuries.
On Thursday evening, Hanin Tafesh, 10 months, died of wounds suffered when the Israeli army bombarded her home.
Medical sources in Gaza reported that at least 22 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire and shells wince Wednesday, and more than 245 Palestinians have been injured; dozens seriously.
Eight children are among the slain Palestinians, in addition to one pregnant woman and two elderly men.
