Israeli troops stormed several key neighborhoods in Nablus City exchanged fire with Palestinian fighters and arrested several men. Local sources reported that Awad Hashash, 29, was shot dead by Israeli snipers positioned over a high building downtown Nablus.
Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers took over several buildings in the city, turning them into watching posts.
Israeli forces also arrested Wednesday four Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron, three in Nablus and demolished seven houses in Qalqilya, witnesses said.
Witnesses said that Israeli troops rolled into al-Zaheriya village, south o Hebron, and arrested four men, including two brothers, leading them all to an unknown destination.
Meanwhile, in Qalqilya, Israeli bulldozers ripped down seven houses and a concrete water container, witnesses told WAFA.
Elsewhere, a Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli fire in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, medical sources said. The man was identified as Jihad El-Bess, 20. In the evening, medical sources in the Strip declared that two other Palestinians, including a 15-year old boy, were shot dead by Israeli troops.
Three Palestinians wounded early Wednesday when Israeli helicopters and F-16 fighters bombarded houses in the northern Gaza Strip city Jabalia, witnesses and Palestinian medical sources said.
Witnesses told WAFA that Israeli warplanes opened fire at houses in Tal-al Za'tar area, north of Jabalia, wounding three people.
Medical sources announced that the three were critically wounded with shrapnel in different parts of their bodies and that they were transferred to the hospital.
Later, and for the second time in less than 24 hours, Israeli soldiers backed by tanks, armoured vehicles and bulldozers stormed Tal-al Za'tar area and opened gunfire at houses.
Local sources said that Israeli bulldozers razed wide areas of agricultural lands.
Also in the Strip, Israeli soldiers wounded Wednesday a woman and her two children in the town of Beit Hanoun, witnesses said. According to them, 30-year-old Hanan Hamad and her two children were wounded when Israeli soldiers opened fire at them in the besieged town. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
