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October 1, 2003:
Mohammed's younger brother Issam was seriously injured and was taken to the hospital about a week ago. His leg was amputated and he is undergoing medical treatment.

October 18, 2003:
Mohammad's younger brother, Hussam Al-Mouhagir [17 yrs old], was killed by the Israeli army today. Hussam was sitting at home when he was shot in the face, chest, back, legs. He had nothing to do with any violent or even political movement. Hussam's crime is that he was a Palestinian.

— The webmaster

 

News from GAZA


28 June 04

Two people were killed today at noon and three others were wounded in Al Boura town, east of Beit Hanoon town, north of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli occupying forces firings.

Witnesses said that an IOF contingent advanced deep into the aforementioned area earlier of the day to raze the citizens’ owned lands and started shooting randomly towards people's homes resulting in the death of two: Khaled Jamal Al Shunbari and Ibraheim Salha, whose bodies lay on the ground as Israeli troops refused to allow ambulances to reach them. Three others were also wounded.

The Occupation shelled Al Khaladi school in Khan Younis:

17 year old Mohammed Fathi Abu Azab was injured in the neck after the soldiers based in Navi Dekalem Jewish settlement opened fire towards him. Abu Azab was transferred into the European hospital where his injuries are described as serious. Firing towards Abu Azab came only a few hours after the shelling of one of the schools in the Western Khanyounis Camp and completely damaging it.

A Bloody Week:

In Khanyounis and everywhere in the Gaza Strip, many people were killed last week. Last night three people were killed including a child from Khanyounis. Only a few hours earlier, Israeli media had
announced that there was an explosion in one of the Israeli posts near Abu Holi checkpoint that resulted in the shooting and death of an unknown number of Israeli soldiers. Hamas and Fateh movments announced their responsibility for that explosion in the media.

Still Gaza Strip is divided into three parts and all crossing points are completely closed. Many people were arrested by the Israeli Army..

Gaza Workers and Unemployment:

Tens of thousands of Palestinians workers took to the streets of Gaza City in a very large demonstration whose center is near the Palestinian legislative council in Gaza. The demonstrators demanded that Palestinian Authority find a quick solution for the workers who had lost their jobs as a result of road blockades at Israeli military checkpoints. The demonstrators delivered a message to the council demanding that the Palestinian Authority save them and their families from hunger and to find them
alternative work.

According to the most recent statistics, over 70% of the Palestinians are unemployed.


18 June 04

Breaking news: 12 p.m. Rafah time, by telephone: 7 rockets by Apaches have now attacked Gaza.

6 p.m.: The Israeli terror forces hav demolished two buildings in a new incursion that targeted Deir Al Balah area in the middle of Gaza Strip. They also attacked another two buildings that belonged to Mohammed Tawfiq Al Kurd and Yousif Mohammed Al Kurd, destroyed their furniture, and beat up the two families forcing them to leave their homes. That step came as a way to broaden the settlement of Kusfim's line.

Israeli soldiers also arrested two people; one of whom is 14 year old Abdurrahman Al Kurd and Abdulateef Al Kurd and took them to an undisclosed location after beating them badly.

Israeli soldiers informed Ahmed Abu Hadaf about occupying his agriculture plot that lies in the southern most part of the City, since those 800 denims are going to be an "Israeli zone" and will be a part of Kusifim Jewish settlements..

In Khanyonis: By phone from an eyewitness there.. the Occupation shelled the residents' buildings in Khanyounis and Al Qarara, and fired rockets that lead to burning one of the buildings that belonged to Al Audani family..

An Israeli navy boat opened fire at a fishing boat off the northern coast of Gaza Strip, and arrested both fishermen on board. Security sources affirmed that the Israeli boat fired at a fishing boat near the Al Sudaneya area, north of Gaza, and then arrested fishermen Rami Al Habeel and Ahmad Murad who were onboard.

At Abu Holi checkpoint: Here in that place, the entire world knows what is happening. Still, for the
second day in a row, Gaza Strip is divided into two parts and that step came during the time where university students are going to their final exams. Corssing that checkpoint means that you have to stay in the hot sun for hours, and even if the soldiers allow you through, they would force you to take your clothes off and stand for many hours on cement blocks and under the burning hot sun..


11 June 04


Two children demonstrating against the UN's decision
after their father became unemployed in Gaza Strip

In the continuous and daily shelling and targeting of homes in Khanyounis. the Israeli Army opened its gunfire towards civilians which lead to serious injuries to Ibrahim Al Baqri, 19. It also led to partial damages to building. The children and the adults were te rrorized and frightened.

This morning the Israeli army withdraw from Beit Hanon area leaving a large number of damaged trees, and it also demolished a building in the area and caused other damages to the infrastructure..

"We were forced to take off our clothes and to stand in the hot burning sunshine at the Abu Holi checkpoint" an eyewitness by phone told me today..

IOF soldiers blocked the Gaza Strip main road and forced people to stand in the hot sunshine, in addition to firing tear gas towards them, and then arresting more than 9 people who were students and workers returning from their university and their work..

Hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the UNRWA office in the Gaza Strip protesting against the most recent decsion of laying off hundreds of teachers in Uni ted Nations-funded primary schools. They demonstrated in front of the U.N. headquarters in Gaza City. Those laid off say the decision was to make way for new university graduates, but that their situation is made desperate by the lack of a viable economy in Gaza Strip, with a 60 percent unemployment rate, about triple that at the start of the Intifada..


6 June 04

Even though there is a long distance between Rafah and the Gaza Strip because of the checkpoints and the way it is divided, and in spite of the poverty of Gaza Strip, the Gaza Strip people decided to divide whatever they had with the Rafah families. Some trucks arrived to Rafah carrying clothes, food, and water for the homeless families..

The West Bank and the rest of the Gaza Strip are all sympathetic with the Rafah homeless families after the heaviest incursions occurred there. A new donation campaign started for Rafah to provide it with basic needs.

I was talking on the phone with a friend in Gaza, where I could hear shelling in the background. Israeli tanks were shelling houses in Bierlahia.

Khan Younis is not too different from the other cities: soldiers who were living in Gani Tal Israeli settlement began shelling the houses there to force them to leave so the bulldozers could come in the next day and demolish them claiming they were "empty houses".

Also the Abu Holi checkpoint and other parts of the Gaza Strip are still closed and the Strip itself is suffering from shortage of food, milk and medicine for the children. The IOF is also forcing people to stand in the sun for several hours and forcing some people to take their clothes off in the hot sun and stand on the cements blocks..


30 May 04

11.30 p.m. Rafah Time: Still the crossing points of Gaza Strip are closed and people are have no food or water.. Today at dawn, Israeli helicopters assassinated two key commanders of Hamas military wing who were on a motorcycle. A bystander who was close to the scene was also killed in addition to nine wounded including a woman and two children in Al Zaytoun area, southeast of Gaza City.

Al Shifa hospital named the three killed whose bodies were turned into shreds as Wa’el Nassar, 33, Mohammed Sarsour, 31, and Maddi Maddi, 23.

Wi tnesses said that Nassar and Sarsour were riding a motorcycle when they were killed by the first missile. The second missile fell close by moments later, killing another citizen who happened to be at the scene.

As in North of Gaza Strip, a 25 year old man was killed during the shelling of Bierlahia area yesterday, and he was carried to the cemetery in a very big funeral. The mourners were condemneing the incursion and were appealing to all peace lovers in the world to stop the massacres in Rafah and Bierlahia..

At this moment, heavy shelling by tanks and watching towers in the camp..


27 May 04

The same situation as in Rafah: children are searching for their books and furniture in Deir Al Balah Camp, Center of Gaza Strip, where the IOF soldiers used the same methods as in Rafah: occupying roofs and shelling civilian.. An eyewitness from Deir Al Balah said: "The Israeli occupying forces (IOF) launched a large-scale campaign on the city of central Gaza Strip in which four houses weredemolished and several others were occupied and turned to military barracks."

Security sources mentioned that Israeli forces, backed by 12 military vehicles and armored bulldozers, invaded the city of Deir Al Balah and demolished a number of houses there, while Israeli soldiers raided some houses, occupied them and turned them into military barracks.

Locals said the demolished houses belonged to Khalil Al Sawarka, Tha'er Al Atrash and Bassam Shahin, to the east of the city. Shahin was arrested by the IOF after his home was demolished and he was led to an undisclosed location.

The fourth home, a two-storey building, is owned by Khalil Tobail, and was partially dest royed last Tuesday, before being completely flattened by the Israeli bulldozers early this morning.

Also, eyewitnesses confirmed that the invading troops raided a number of homes in the Abu Areif Street east of the camp, occupied and turned them into military barracks, amidst heavy and random gunfire.

The witnesses added that a number of snipers took up sniping positions on some of the houses' rooftops, firing at any moving object in the area. The Israeli forces declared, through loudspeakers, that they would open fire at any person who tried to move from one side to another.

On the other hand, demonstrations in solidarity with Rafah people after the heaviest incursions that Rafah ever seen since the beginning of the Intifada, as the people were asking the international community to crack down on Israel and stop demolishing houses..

Every day, killing more civilians, demo lishing houses and blocking the road s by militant checkpoints, and is there anyone in the world who comment or just condemn?!


23 May 04

The Israeli Occupation Forces continues its complete closure on Gaza Strip It is still closed and divided into many sections by not allowing food, or people to move between areas. I called one of the school teachers in Gaza and she said: "They are not allowing us to get into the schools. Isn't this a war crime, preventing students from going to school? I'm asking the international community and all peace lovers to put pressure on Israel and to stop the daily attacks and the division of our cities."

Moreover, Al Mezan human rights center appeals to the world and hu man rights organizations to stop that policy, as closing the only Karni Crossing point would have serious repercussions on Gaza Strip which is already suffering from the lack of basic food and milk for the children."

Medical sources in Al Shifa hospital said that Hasan Allda'a, an 81 year old Palestinian, died yesterday after being seriously injured in Al Zayton area Gaza City.

Today, in the early hours a group of Israeli bulldozers and tanks invaded Dier Al Balah Camp in the middle of Gaza Strip, occupying houses in Abu Areef street and using the roof building as sniper positions. It paralyzed any movement in the area. They also damaged a large number of olive and orange trees in the area.

Eyewitnesses from the camp say that the soldiers are occupying two houses belonging to Khalil Qabil and Abdelsalam Abu Mussa.

In Khan Younis also, many houses ha ve been shelled by canon tanks and bulldozers in different areas in Rafah camp, but the worst was in the western camp where people were forced to leave their houses after the burning of Abu Nimer family, eyewitnesses said to me. In addition, two Israeli bulldozers attacked Qezan Al Najjar area and demolished tens of olive trees and houses..

In North Gaza Strip, thousands of mourners went in a funeral processession for 13 year old Iyaad Afanah from Jablayia Camp who died after being shot by the IOF. The mourners condemned the
attacks and promised to continue struggling unill freedom comes to Palestine.

 


17 May 04

Over 16 killed people, and more 200 injured people, and a very large number of demolished houses.. in addition to dividing Gaza Strip into three parts and killing the movements of the citizens, workers and students..


The way that people escape when they hear the shelling and bulldozers hitting their
homes.

 

From the heart of the battered Al Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, as the combat helicopters indiscriminately opened its machinegun fire on the citizens and after two nights of hunger, suffering …. Here in Al Zaytoun, south east of Gaza city more than 100 families were trapped, water reservoir
were ripped, power disconnected, the infrastructure was torn up into shreds, and even the “HELP” appeal was met by firings from the Israeli soldiers.

Malka family who was bereaved by the losing of her son Ehab whose body buried a live Tuesday morning under the heap of rubbles worked out by the Israeli bulldozersMalaka cousin was said in a phone call with the local “Al Hurya radio, “We, first and foremost beseech Allah for salvation, the Israeli bulldozers and tanks are devastating every street, opening fire randomly at any moving.”

He went onto saying”my cousin Ehab pronounced dead after he shouted help for long hours as he was wounded in his foot but an Israel bulldozer buried him alive . Since 9:00 am my cousin is buried under the piles of cement blocks. Most people heard him shouting “help…help but no one able to help as
the Israeli tanks coiled him.”

On the other hand, Hamas announced about ki lling 6 Israeli soldiers by exploding one of the tanks which invade the camp as that came only few days ago after a similar explosion to Islamic Jihad in Rafah where they announced by microphones louders about killing 5 soldiers and other 6 were injured..
as Hamas in Gaza blocked some parts of the killed soldiers, but they deliver it to the Palestinian Authority after agreement with both sides to deliver the parts of the bodies of the soldiers and to withdraw from Al Zaytoun
neighborhood in return.

Children: No food ... A little girl of Malaka family cried” I’m scared of the Israelis, bullets and shelling we get down to escape death”. Her mother also expressed her deep anxiety” we’re in a terrible situation,
I’m a mother of 5 children and they’re hungry. I can’t go out to get something to eat. No bread, no milk, we’re imprisoned in one room and the children are crying but we’ll be patient and resolved.”

A colleague reporter of local “Al Huryia “ radio Mohammed Abu Shabab said at 10:00 am of Wednesday morning reported that the IOF bulldozers razed lands owned by Orabi family in Al Zytoun neighborhood as the whizzing of live bullets echoed the area . The Israeli attack concentrated in the southern part of the neighborhood.

He added "the Israeli soldiers banned the ambulances to reach the body of Ehab Malaka and disallowed the international Red Cross society (IRCS) neither to evacuate the bodies nor to rescue the wounded and even from offering medical and human assistance, particularly for children. The Israeli snipers positioned at the houses rooftops and turned them into military barracks, destroying the infrastructure as well as the main electricity transformer causing a cut in the power for several hours.”

The vicinity of Abdurrahman mosque is liable to a heavy shelling; Israeli reinforcements were massed to the battered neighborhood.

The Israeli military commander said that the military operation will continue in al Zytoun neighborhood until the remains of the 6 Israeli soldiers were found.

Held for 3 days in a factory : Saleh Abu Assi , working in the soft drink factory “Star” in the invaded
area said “I along with 15 others were held from 12:30 Tuesday night , we try to go out to our homes but the Israeli incursion started. We call on the Red Crescent to immediately intervene to rescue us as four elderly people and children are among us.”

On the other hand, the apaches shelled several rockets in Gaza Strip and shelled many media offices, radio stations and newspapers in Gaza City.. as still Gaza Strip is divided into many parts by militant points which their only language is blood and bullet..

 



11 May 04

BREAKING NEWS: Over 40 tanks and bulldozers invading Al Zaytoun neighborhood in South Gaza City, and Apaches warplanes supporting the IDF in the attack leaving a very large numbers of killed and injured. Fragments of the bodies of the people are spread in the streets and ambulances are unable to carry the injured to the hospital.


9 May 04

In a new incursion today morning into the Refugee Camp of Khanyounis, two citizens were killed and 22 others wounded besides 30 houses were demolished.

Palestinian medical sources of Khanyounis announced that Jameel Abu Mustafa, (16 years old) and Belal Hamdan(25 years old) , were shot dead by the shrapnel of a missile hit by the warplane “Apache” towards a group of people , besides, 22 others were wounded, three of them critically.

Concurrently, an IOF contingent supported by conveys and caterpillars advanced deep under a volley of gunfire as copters were hovering ahead in Al Sad Al Ali of Khanyounis Refugee Camp, south of Gaza strip and demolished 30 houses there.

Targeting journalists again:

Three journalists Mahmoud Al Hums (25) and Suhib Jadallah were injured in Deir Al Balah Camp in the middle of Gaza Strip. Abduallah Al Jammal (35) from Al Buraij was killed, while ten others were wounded in the Deir Al Balah refugee camp after Israeli tanks opened their heavy fire indiscriminately on inhabitants during an invasion of the area.. As in Khanyounis still other more 15 houses were comp letely demolished by the IDF in the camp, which aims to expend the Israeli settlements.

 


 

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