The Israeli military shells areas in Gaza and kidnaps civilians in the West Bank, these stories and more, coming up, stay tuned.

The News Cast

Palestinian medical sources reported that a group of Israeli settlers attacked, on Tuesday morning, a 45-year-old man from Awarta village, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

The sources identified the man as Yousef Obeidat. He was moved to Rafidia Hospital suffering neck injury and bruises. The settlers are said to be from the illegal Shilo settlement near Nablus.

In the past few months, settler attacks escalated against Palestinian towns and villages adjacent to settlements in various West Bank areas, including East Jerusalem.

Also in the West Bank, the Israeli military kidnapped on Tuesday eight Palestinian civilians during pre-dawn invasions targeting a number of communities.

Local sources reported that the invasions took place in the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia, were three civilians were kidnapped by troops, in Jerusalem city, central West Bank, were also there were kidnapped, and two from the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

The city of Qalqilia, home to around 40 thousand Palestinians, is completely surrounded by the wall, with only one road that connects it with the rest of the West Bank.

The Israeli army radio reported that all eight men were kidnapped because they are on the military wanted list. The radio added that the eight men were moved to military detention camps for questioning.

In other news, the Palestinian Minister of health reported on Tuesday that three more cases of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, in the West Bank.

The ministry said that two cases were found in Ramallah, while the third was spotted in Jenin. No further information was provided.

With these three new cases the number of people infected by the H1N1 in the West Bank reached 92, the health ministry reported.

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army shelled on Monday evening several homes and lands east of Gaza city causing excessive damage. The army also shelled homes in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Strip.

Local sources reported that the army shelled several homes northeast of Al Shujaeyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli tanks and armored vehicles were noticed along the eastern border of the Strip.

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.