18 Palestinians, 3 Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza Strip Fighting, Mosque and Two Houses Leveled by Israeli Occupation Forces

Killing of Reuters journalist brings death toll in Gaza to 18

Date: 16 / 04 / 2008 Time: 18:55
Gaza – Ma'an -

A cameramen for the news agency Reuters was killed and five others wounded, including two journalists, when Israeli occupation forces tanks fired at a bridge in Wadi Gaza, the valley in the central Gaza Strip.

Medical sources said that the dead and wounded were taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in the city of Dair Al-Balah.

An eyewitness, journalist Yasser Qa'adah, said, "Reuters journalist Fadhil Shana'a was killed by Israeli occupation forces while he was in a jeep which was clearly marked 'Press'."

"There was nobody around us except a group of children who we were going to film. There were no resistance groups in the area" he added.

Television footage showed the jeep, with large signs reading "Press" and "TV" with a gaping hole blown in the driver's side.

Meanwhile nine Palestinians were killed, some of them children, and 18 others were injured in an artillery bombardment that leveled a mosque and two houses in Juhor Al-Deek in the central Gaza Strip.

Mu'awiya Hassanain, the director of the ambulance and emergency department in the Palestinian Health Ministry, said that the corpses of eight civilians, including two children, were taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital. He said that eighteen people sustained "more than moderate" injuries.

These two attacks bring Wednesday's death toll to 18 with a large number of wounded in a series of Israeli occupation forces air strikes and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Five people were killed in two Israeli air raids at noon in the northern Gaza Strip.

Hani Zu'urub was killed and five others were wounded in an air strike on a car. Witnesses said the first strike targeted a white Mitsubishi car. The second attack targeted a car near the Sheema school in the northern Gaza Strip.

Dr. Hassanain clarified that the first Israeli strike resulted in one dead and three wounded. The second attack left two wounded. They were taken to Al-Awda hospital.

Four Hamas fighters were killed during clashes with Israeli occupation forces east of Gaza City's Ash-Shuja'iyya neighborhood in the early hours of the morning. Medical sources identified the dead as Abdul-Karim Al-Khaisi, Mustafa Tatar, Karam Al-Wadiyya and Mahmoud Hillis.

Gaza: five Palestinian fighters and three Israeli soldiers killed during separate incidents

Wednesday April 16, 2008 13:11 by Ghassan Bannoura & Rami Al Mughari - IMEMC News

Five Palestinian resistance fighters and three Israeli occupation soldiers were killed due during three deferent incidents in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

Palestinian sources said that four fighters of the al Qassam brigades the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad were killed when the Israeli occupation army invaded Al Shujaeyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City and clashed with Palestinian fighters on Wednesday at dawn.

The sources identified the killed fighters as Abdul-Karim Al-Kheesy, Mustafa Al-Tatar, Karam Al-Wadia and Mahmoud Hallas.

Meanwhile Palestinian sources reported that a Palestinian man, said to be Islamic Jihad fighter was killed by Israeli occupation army fire near Rafah city, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday at dawn.

Three Israeli soldiers were killed when a group of Al-Qassam Brigades managed to ambush them near Nahal OZ border crossing located at the central Gaza Israeli borders.

Al Qassam Brigades said that two of its fighters opened fire at an Israeli occupation military base near the crossing and dragged an Israeli occupation army petrol into the Gaza strip where fighters were waiting form them, as a result three Israeli soldiers were killed and five injured one critical.

Avihay Adar'ie, a spokesperson of the Israeli army told IMEMC that three soldiers were killed during the attack; he added that a response is being prepared on the political and military leadership levels. Adar'ie blamed Hamas for attempting to flam the situation on the ground.

Israeli government sources told media agencies on Tuesday that Israel will resume on Wednesday supplying Gaza with minimum quantities of fuel needed to generate electricity and cooking gas. Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, stated in an interview with the Israeli army radio that Israel will not supply the Gaza Strip with fuel needed for transportation, adding that shipments will only include fuel needed to generate electricity and cooking gas.

The shipments will be transferred through the Nahal-Oz border crossing located in the northern part of the Gaza strip.

Last week, Palestinian fighters attacked the Nahal-Oz terminal and killed two Israelis. The fighters said that the attack comes in response to the ongoing siege on Gaza and the ongoing Israeli shelling and military assaults.

Last Wednesday, the Israeli occupation army killed eight Palestinians, including three children. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), based in Gaza, stated on Tuesday that the cuts of transportation fuel have paralyzed the movement of Gazans by 80%.

The PCHR added that the Health, Water, and Education sectors in Gaza are 50% paralyzed due to fuel shortages. The Israeli army has placed Gaza under a strict siege since June 2007, leaving the coastal region in sharp shortages of fuel, medicine, water, and food supplies.

Fouzi Barhum, the Hamas spokesman in Gaza, told IMEMC that today's attack and the killing of three Israeli soldiers comes as a response to the continued Israeli attacks and siege on the Palestinian coastal region.

"They attack and kill Palestinians on daily basses, they continue to siege use and make plans to attack Gaza; then this attack is a natural response."

UNRWA Commissioner-General, Karen Abu Zaid, stated on Monday that the situation in the Gaza Strip is disastrous, and that extensive efforts are needed to end the crisis in the coastal region.

During a Monday evening meeting with Legislator Jamal Al-Khodary, head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege. Abu Zeid called upon international organizations and human rights groups to finance Gaza and save it from the consequences of the ongoing siege.

Updated from:

Army kills four fighters in Gaza

Time: 8:15

By: Saed Bannoura

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Wednesday at dawn that Israeli soldiers shot and killed four Palestinian fighters in an invasion into Al-Shuja'iya neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

The sources identified the killed fighters as Abdul-Karim Al Kheesy, Mustafa Al Tatar, Karam Al Wadia and Mahmoud Hallas.

Clashes and exchanges of fire took place as the army advanced into the neighborhood under the air coverage of military apaches while dozens of armored vehicles advanced into the area.

Soldiers fired rounds of live ammunition at dozens of homes especially near a juice factory east of the neighborhood.

On Tuesday evening, one fighter of the Islamic Jihad was killed by and three bystanders were wounded when an Israeli drone fired a missile at a motorcycle in the Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday at night, Israeli forces shelled several areas in the Gaza Strip causing several injuries.

Fighter killed, three Palestinians injured in Jabalia

Wednesday April 16, 2008 00:53 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Tuesday at night that one Palestinian was killed and three others were wounded in an Israeli air strike that targeted an area in the Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, at least three residents were injured.

Eyewitnesses reported that an Israeli drone fired at least one missile at a Palestinian fighter driving a motorcycle. The fighter, member of Salah Ed Deen Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, was killed and three bystanders were wounded.

The Brigades identified the fighter as Abdullah Al Ghsein; he was driving his motorcycle in Al Shuhada Square in the Jabalia refugee camp.

Earlier on Tuesday at night, an Israeli drone fired missiles at a house in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip causing excessive damage, no injuries were reported.

Three residents were wounded when the army fired an artillery shell at Al Nazzaz Street, east of Gaza City.

On Monday at night, the army assassinated Abdullah Abu Ilba, 34, one of the leaders of the National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

His body was severely mutilated and several bystanders were wounded in the attack.

Moreover, Israeli army sources reported that one soldier was moderately wounded on Tuesday at night after he was shot by a Palestinian sharpshooter in the central Gaza Strip.

Limited Israeli incursion in Gaza City leaves four Hamas activists dead

Date: 16 / 04 / 2008 Time: 10:25
Gaza – Ma'an –

The Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday morning invaded the Al-Shuja'iya neighborhood of Gaza City for a short time before withdrawing, killing four Palestinian activists affiliated to Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades (These are considered martyrs, according to Islamic law, as they were defending themselves and their people against invaders).

Hamas announced that four of its fighters were killed in clashes with the invading Israeli occupation forces. Palestinian medical sources named the victims as Abdul-Karim Al-Qaisi, Mustafa Tatar, Karam Al-Wadiya and Mahmoud Hillis. Five other activists sustained were injured.

Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli incursion started with penetration of Israeli occupation special forces under cover of helicopters and military tanks. They started shooting randomly at Palestinian houses.

The Al-Qassam Brigades released a series of statements saying that their fighters launched more than 57 mortar shells at the invading Israeli occupation forces as well as several rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). The statements also said that three anti-personnel landmines were detonated against Israeli occupation troops.

Later on the Israeli occupation army announced that one officer was wounded, but they gave no details about the nature of the wounds.

Eyewitnesses said that before they withdrew, the Israeli forces apprehended several Palestinians including Abdul-Salam Al-Hayya, brother of senior Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya.

On Tuesday evening, one Palestinian affiliated to Islamic Jihad's military wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, was killed and three bystanders were injured as a result of a missile launched by an Israeli reconnaissance plane at a motorcycle in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. The Al-Quds Brigades named the victim as Abdullah Al-Ghussain.

Two Palestinian civilians were injured in Israeli shelling at the area of Juhr Ad-Dik and the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City.

Israeli forces announced that one soldier was hurt in the clashes at Shuja'iyya.

Three Israeli soldiers killed in clashes in Gaza

Date: 16 / 04 / 2008 Time: 10:20
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Three Israeli occupation soldiers from the Givati unit were killed and five others injured, one seriously, in clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters in Gaza, Israeli sources said on Wednesday.

The Israeli occupation military officially confirmed the deaths at noon on Wednesday.

The Israeli sources, who spoke to Ma'an on condition of anonymity, said a group of Palestinian resistance fighters ambushed eight Israeli occupation soldiers in the area of Juhor Al-Deek in the central Gaza Strip.

Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for the killing of the three Israeli occupation soldiers.

***Updated at 12:00 Bethlehem time.

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