Israeli soldiers invaded early Tuesday morning the West Bank village of Kufer Qalil, south of Nablus, under a barrage of heavy gunfire, causing the injuries of Medhat Amer and Nemer Amer, Palestinian medics and witnesses said.

Witnesses said a large Israeli military undercover unit, broke into the village in the early hours of Tuesday. Medhat Amer went out of his house to check the matter but was shot and wounded by the Israeli soldiers. His brother, Nemer, tried to assist him, yet he was also shot and wounded and then evacuated to the local hospital of Rafidia for treatment, witnesses said.

Mayor of the village, Wajeeh Auda, was quoted as saying that the Israeli troops stopped passing vehicles, and imposed fines on drivers for no reasons.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops stormed Monday night the Ayda refugee camp, north of Bethlehem city and shot tear gas canisters and stun grenades towards the locals' houses, witnesses told IPC.

Also, in the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation troops detained Monday night a Palestinian resident at the Kusofim commercial crossing, south of the Strip, Palestinian security sources said.

© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)