The Gaza Update

Israeli forces shot and killed one resident in the Gaza Strip Thursday near Al Faraheen area, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Palestinian medical sources said that Yousef Qabalan, 18, was killed after the army, stationed at a military post east of Khan Younis, fired shells and live ammunition into the area. An Israeli military spokesperson claimed that the resident was a resistance fighter who approached the “security fence” surrounding the Gaza Strip in an attempt to plant explosives.

Neither explosives nor weapons were found near the body of Qabalan. Earlier on Thursday, two Islamic Jihad fighters were assassinated in Khan Younis after an Israeli fighter jet fired a missile at their vehicle. Palestinian medical sources in area reported that the bodies of the two fighters were severely mutilated as a result of the blast.

The two fighters, identified as Omar Al Zaqzouq, 30, and Yasser Al Banna, 33, were members of the Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement. Their vehicle was completely destroyed and surrounding buildings and property were also damaged.

An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed the attack and said that it took place on a road between Khan Younis and Rafah. The sources claimed that the two were on their way to carry out an attack against Israeli targets. A group of Palestinian resistance fighters from Al Quds Brigades fired two homemade shells at the Israeli town of Siderot near the Gaza Strip in response to the Israeli assassinations.

In the meantime a Palestinian security officer died Thursday afternoon of wounds he sustained last Monday during the infighting in the Gaza Strip, according to medical sources from the Gaza-European Hospital in the town of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Osama Al Aeid, 23, was an officer in Hamas' newly formed Executive Force and died after suffering fatal head wounds after clashes that erupted between Fatah supporters and officers from the Executive Force late Monday night. Al Aeid was admitted in the intensive care unit until Thursday afternoon. Another 30 people were injured in Monday’s clashes.

Local sources in Gaza city reported that three residents went missing late Wednesday night under mysterious circumstances. Two of the residents, identified as Adel Hamada and Zakie Saleh, both work with the Preventative Security Force in Gaza, and the third, Waleed Qies, works with the border police division in Gaza. They were last seen driving a car in Al Shoja'ya area, east of Gaza city. Local sources also stated that the three are members of Fatah.

The West Bank Update

The Israeli army invaded the village of Qabatia, near the West Bank city of Jenin, and injured an elderly resident in the village, Thursday morning. Afif Zakarnah, 72, sustained an injury in his leg after he was hit by a live round when the army stormed the village and opened fire at several houses and residents, local sources reported.

More then 30 Israeli army vehicles invaded the village of Aillar, north of the West Bank city of Tulkarem and took prisoner four residents Thursday afternoon. Troops conducted a wide scale house-to-house search campaign in the village and ransacked residents' homes. The detainees were known as Nadier Al Kharof, 22, Ahmad Jibat, 21, Nidal Jibat, 23, and Billal Jibat, 21. All were taken to unknown locations.

Also on Thursday, a group of right wing Israeli settlers attacked a mosque in the village of Halhul, north of Hebron city, in the southern part of the West Bank. Al Nabi Mossa mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the Hebron area. The settlers entered the mosque, ransacked it, then prayed. All of this was done under the protection of the Israeli army, which surrounded and closed the mosque and did not allow residents to come near it, even for their morning prayers.

Moreover, Israeli forces invaded the village of Yatta, near the city of Hebron and took one prisoner Thursday morning. Ayman Hushia, 22, was taken to an unknown location after troops searched and ransacked his family house along with scores of other homes in the village. The army clamed that they were looking for illegal materials. The invasion lasted for more than three hours.

An Israeli army source reported that the army took 12 Palestinian prisoners from several invasions to different areas of the West Bank Thursday. According to the source, four residents were taken prisoner in Tulkarem city, while another four were taken in the city of Ramallah, and three from thhe city of Hebron and one from Nablus.

The army claimed that the detainees are "wanted" activists. Also, Israeli media sources reported that Palestinian resistance fighters threw homemade pipe bombs at an Israeli force during its invasion to Qabatia village, south of Jenin on Thursday morning.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org brought to you by Caysha Cay & Ghassan Bannoura.