In the West Bank, Israeli forces invade several cities, kidnapping five. In the Gaza Strip meanwhile, one Qassam Brigades member is killed. These stories and more coming up. Stay tuned.

The West Bank
Israeli military forces invaded several areas of the West Bank in the early hours of Monday morning. In the south of the region, a total of five civilians were kidnapped from the cities of Hebron, Bethlehem and the nearby Aida refugee camp.
In the northern West Bank, Israeli forces invaded the cities of Jenin and Nablus, and the refugee camps of Balata and Askar al Jadeed. No abductions or injuries were reported in either attack.
Sources in the Hamas movement on Wednesday stated that Fatah-allied security forces had kidnapped at least 21 members of Hamas during dawn attacks in several parts of the region. Hamas claims that members were kidnapped from the central West Bank city of Ramallah, and the northern West Bank cities of Nablus, Salfit and Jenin.

Israeli media sources reported that three Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement of Ariel, located in the northern part of the West Bank, were injured in a drive-by shooting on Wednesday morning. One man was seriously injured, and was moved to an Israeli hospital for treatment. Security reports indicate that a car opened fire at the settlers near Ariel settlement and fled the scene.

In other news, a small Christian Baptist Church was burned down in the centre of Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Initial police reports indicate that Jewish extremists may have been to blame for the attack.

The Gaza Strip

The al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, announced on Wednesday that one member had been killed while executing a so-called special operation. The group identified the man as Mohammad Mahameed, 22, but released no further information on the activist's death.

Various Palestinian groups on Tuesday night announced the shelling of Israeli areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the events at the Negev detention center and the assassination of a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees.

Shells were fired at the Israeli towns of Sderot and Ashkelon, the military post of Kisufim, and the border checkpoints of Kerem Shalom and Sufa. Israeli media reported that one shell struck a house in Sderot, but no other damage or injuries were reported.

Military chiefs on Tuesday recommended that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak impose an additional set of sanctions on the import of goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip. Military officials recommended a new set of harsh limitations on the import of fuel, supplies and everyday goods, with Israeli media reporting that the sanctions are thought to include a suggestion that the electricity supply is cut for several hours each time a homemade shell is fired from the coastal region.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, brought to you by John Smith and Ghassan Bannoura.