At least seven Palestinans on Monday were killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In one incident a Jewish settler killed a Palestinian taxi driver near the West Bank city of Nablus.
Gaza Strip
One man was killed and three others were wounded when an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at a vehicle in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday afternoon, Palestinian witnesses said.
Locals identified the victim as aide of Mohammed Abu Nsair, a leading activist of the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella of resistance group.
A 53-year old Palestinian, identified as Saeed Almadhoun, 53, of the Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, was shot dead on Monday morning after being hit with a live bullet. Two other Palestinians were found dead near the Abu Safiya area, north of the Gaza Strip.
IPC reported that Israeli occupation forces stationed at the "Neveh Dekalim" settlement, opened their machineguns at nearby Palestinian houses in the western refugee camp of Khan Younis, killing Almadhoun instantly and injuring Marwan Alshorbajy moderately along with two others.
Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources in northern Gaza Strip confirmed that two dead bodies were found early Monday morning near the Abu Safiea area. Israeli reports said that troops in the said area spotted late Sunday night two Palestinians, suspected of carrying an explosive device, and shot them dead.
In the meantime, Israeli tanks shelled Monday dawn Palestinian houses near the Palestinian-Egyptian border, mainly in the Block O and Block G quarters south of Rafah, causing the injury of a woman and a child, witnesses conveyed. They said that some houses were damaged.
In Shaikh Ejleen neighborhood, south of Gaza City, Israeli troops shot heavily at the area, with no injuries reported. In addition, according to IPC, an Israeli bulldozer razed vast areas of arable lands belonging to Alzain and Aleskafi families.
For their part, the Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing, Monday fired four Qassam missiles at the Israeli town of Sderot, damaging at least one house.
The Brigades said in a communiquי issued Monday that they launched four Qassam rockets at Sderot.
Three Israelis suffered severe shock and rushed to hospital.
West Bank
Two members of Fatah's al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades were killed during exchanges of fire in Balata refugee camp in Nablus, Palestinian medics and security sources said. The sources named the victims as Muhamed Tirawi, and Umar Nfeisseh, both in their 20s.
Earlier, a settler killed a Palestinian driver in the northern West Bank. The settler claimed the Palestinian "intentionally" tried to run him off the road with his vehicle. Palestinian hospital officials said the victim, a Palestinian taxi driver in his 40s, was shot by a group of settlers as he ferried passengers to Nablus.
Also in the West Bank, Israeli forces early Monday stormed the city of Jenin and its refugee camp.
Eyewitnesses said that about 70 armored vehicles backed by tanks, choppers and reconnaissance planes stormed the city from different directions. The forces conducted a large-scale search operation in civilian homes and turned a number of them into army barracks.
Palestinian sources said that the soldiers imposed a curfew on the city and the camp until further notice as patrols roamed the streets and suburbs to ensure abidance by that order. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
