Two Palestinians die of earlier wounds and naval boats open fire at the Gaza shore line injuring seven civilians, these stories and more coming up stay tuned.

The News Cast

Palestinian medical sources announced on Thursday that two Palestinians have died in Egyptian hospitals after succumbing to wounds sustained during the Israeli military offensive on Gaza which ended on Sunday. The sources said that the two residents died in one of Cairo's hospitals, where they have been receiving medical care.

They were identified as Tamer Allouh, 22 and Azzam Ashafiy, 24. The death toll in Gaza is now at 1330, while the number wounded exceeds 5000 due to the Israeli attack on the coastal region. Also on Thursday, Israeli navy forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen just off the shore of Gaza City injuring 7 civilians.

The Israeli Army embarked on its military offensive on Saturday, December 27th, 2008 and it lasted for 22 days. Homes, schools, mosques, UN centers, and media agencies were attacked the Israeli air, sea, and ground forces.

The Palestinian resistance group, Al Aqsa brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, announced on Tuesday that they are willing to respond to the Israeli violations of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The group in its press statement considered those attacks as a violation of the ceasefire announced unilaterally by the Israeli government and later by Hamas on Sunday.

Dr. Mo'awia Hassanin, of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, said that the number of those killed may rise because rescue and ambulance crews are still recovering bodies from the rubble in Gaza City and other places in the coastal region.


Meanwhile the Israeli government announced on Thursday that it will allow foreign journalists to enter Gaza, and lift the restrictions on their movement leaving or entering the Gaza Strip. The statement said that only journalists with official papers from the Israeli government will be allowed in and will require a waiver of liability form before entering.

The Israeli government has stopped foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip since November of last year, saying that opening the crossings for journalists will endanger the staff and the crossing. The Israeli Supreme Court ruled in early January to allow the journalists into Gaza, however the order was held up by the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister.


Israeli pre dawn attacks continued in the West Bank today. Palestinian sources reported that Israeli troops invaded the West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday and kidnapped three civilians. Local sources said that the Israeli forces attacked and searched homes in Nablus city and the nearby Balata refugee camp; troops then kidnapped the three men and took them to unknown location.

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 Jane Smith and Ghassan Bannoura.