Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org, for Monday July 28th, 2008.

In Gaza, death toll reaches 219, while the Israeli army demolishes a home in Jerusalem, these stories and more coming up, stay tuned.

The News cast

In the Gaza Strip the death toll reached 219 as one more patient was announced dead on Monday morning. Maher Al Mabhuh, 43, from Jabalia refugee camp north of the strip was announced dead due to kidney cancer. He had been forbidden from leaving the Gaza Strip to receive medical treatment. The Gaza Strip has been under siege since June 2007.

Last month both Israeli and Palestinian Resistance factions in Gaza agreed to a truce, as a result of Egyptian mediation efforts. The deal stipulates that Hamas will stop the firing of homemade shells into Israeli territory in exchange for Israel lifting the 12 month-blockade and ceasing all military attacks against the Coastal Region.

On Monday at dawn Israeli troops demolished a Palestinian owned house located in Beit Hanina neighborhood in Jerusalem city. The Israeli army announced plans to demolish the house on Sunday.

As army bulldozers arrived, Israeli troops attacked the families and their supporters and forced them out of the home. At least 10 civilians were injured; among them Hatem Abed Al Qader, the Palestinian Prime Minister's Advisor for Jerusalem affairs. Israeli troops did not allow ambulances and medical teams to evacuate the injured civilians.

The Israeli army says that the home was built without the necessary documentation. Since Israel occupied Jerusalem in 1967 it has rarely given its Palestinian residents any form of documentation for their land or homes.

Continuing our News coverage, On Monday the Israeli army invaded West Bank cities kidnapping seven civilians from Jenin, Tulkarem and Hebron. Israeli troops searched and ransacked houses kidnapping 7 civilians and took them to unknown detention camps.

In a separate incident, a group of Israeli settlers attacked Burin village in southern Nablus city. The settlers stormed their farmlands and set them on fire. The fire later spread to a nearby Palestinian house.


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. This report has been brought to you by Kendra puryear and Hussam Qassis.