The Israeli military attack homes in Gaza and kidnap civilians in the West Bank. These stories and more coming up stay tuned.


The News Cast

On Wednesday midday, Israeli military tanks opened fire at Palestinian homes located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources said the homes are located in the Al Faraheen area. Damage to the buildings was reported however there were no injures.

Meanwhile Wednesday morning, the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas movement, claimed responsibility for firing four mortars at Israeli troops carrying out military operations in the Central Gaza Strip.

The Brigades added that its fighters fired the four mortars at infantry brigades invading Abu Qatroun Valley, east of the Al Bureij Refugee Camp.

In other Gaza News the Egyptian military will open the Rafah Border Crossing on Saturday the 16th and Sunday the17th of this month.

The Egyptian Middle East daily reported that government officials told the news paper the Crossing will be open both ways and those who have non Palestinian passports would be allowed to leave, in addition to patients and students studying in Egypt.

In the West Bank the Israeli military kidnapped six Palestinian civilians during pre dawn invasion targeting a number of communities on Wednesday.

Three civilians were taken by troops during house to house search in Nablus city, northern West Bank. Another two men were kidnapped during a house search in the southern west Bank city of Hebron, local sources reported.

Meanwhile another man was kidnapped when Israeli soldiers invaded the town of Qabatiya near Jenin city, northern west Bank. Witnesses reported that troops opened fire at residents' homes, causing structural damage but no injuries.

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.