Two Gazans reported dead and the military confiscates land in the West Bank., These stories and more coming up - stay tuned.

The News Cast

Two Palestinian patients from Gaza were pronounced dead at Egyptian hospitals, Palestinian medical sources reported on Monday. Both were suffering from cancer. Doctors say that they have many cases in Gaza that they can't treat because of the continued Israeli siege. They added that patients wait for a long time to get the necessary permissions to leave Gaza for treatment, putting their lives at risk.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the two who died today bring the number of patients who have died due to the 21-month Israeli siege to 298.

In the West Bank, the Israeli army decided on Monday to confiscate 35.5 acres of land owned by farmers from the village of Ni'lin near the central West Bank city of Ramallah. The villagers said that they found the military order at the gate of the Wall Israel is building on the villagers' land. The village of Nil'in has been the scene of weekly non-violent protests against the Israeli illegal wall for over a year.

In a similar move, the military took over 12.5 acres of Palestinian farmland belonging to villagers near the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Monday. Locals say the lands will be used to open a road for settlers living at the illegal settlement of Karme'el near Yatta village.

Villagers said that soldiers started the work on Monday morning. They added that two members of the American based group Christian Peace-makers were kidnapped by the troops when they tried to stop the work.

Meanwhile Monday midday, a group of 30 Israeli extremists' settlers stormed the courtyard of the Al Aqsa mosque in the old city of Jerusalem. Palestinian worshippers said that the group were disguised as tourists and as soon as they were in the main courtyard, they started to conduct prayers for the Jewish holiday Purim.

Local sources said that Israeli troops and police arrived at the location and moved the settlers away. Al Aqsa mosque is the third holiest place for Muslims. Jewish extremists say that the mosque was built on top of the Suleiman Temple, a claim that was not proven by archeologists.

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 Mary Arthur and Ghassan Bannoura.