The Israeli army kills two fighters in Gaza and kidnaps Palestinian MPs in the west Bank these stories and more coming up stay tuned.

The News Cast

The Al Aqsa brigades, armed wing of Fateh movement, reported that two of its fighters were killed in an Israeli Air Strike in the central Gaza Strip earlier on Thursday. Abu Qosai, spokesman for the Brigades stated that medics were unable to reach the area of the shelling and are so far unable to retrieve the fighters' bodies.

Meanwhile, an Israeli military spokeswoman stated that as far as she knows, the army were not operating in the Gaza Strip or in any area close to the border fence between Gaza and Israel.

A total of 21 Palestinian civilians including four elected MPs were kidnapped on Thursday during early morning invasions targeting Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

According to Palestinian sources, the army invaded the cities of Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarem, Bethlehem, Hebron and Jericho.

Among those kidnapped were Dr. Nasser Al Sha'er, vice-prime minister of the dissolved Hamas government, Sheikh Adnan Asfour, a political leader of Hamas, and Professor Isam Al Ashqar, are all from Nablus.

PLC members Ayman Daraghma and Abdul-Jabbar Foqaha, and Mazin Al Reemawi head of the Ramallah legislators' office, were kidnapped in Ramallah.

Legislators Azzam Salhab and Nizar Ramadan were kidnapped from Hebron, and Legislator Khalid Tafish from Bethlehem.

Nine civilians were kidnapped during morning invasions targeting Hebron city and nearby villages, Palestinians sources said. Residents reported that soldiers attacked their homes and ransacked their belongings during the search.

Two civilians were kidnapped during similar attacks targeting Okbet Jabber refugee camp located in Jericho city.

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 Ghassan Bannoura.