Palestine Today

The Gaza Update

One resident was killed after the Israeli Naval forces fired at residents at the beach in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources reported. The resident was identified as Hani Ibrahim Al Najjar, 27, a resident of Al Shaty’ refugee camp, in Gaza City. Medical sources at the Al Aqsa Martyrs hospital, in Dir Al Balah, reported that Al Najjar was hit by a live round in his head.

The Israeli Naval forces repeatedly fired at Palestinian residents and fishermen at Gaza beaches in an attempt to bar them from fishing under the pretext of stopping arms trafficking into Gaza. The Gaza Strip is also under a severe land, sea and aerial blockade imposed by the Israeli forces since the abduction of an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid at an Israeli military base adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile a group of unknown gunmen open fired at residents while taking part in a funeral in Gaza city, Monday morning, inuring several residents. The funeral was for a resident who was killed Sunday during the clashes between the Palestinian security forces and the newly formed executive force. No political group took responsibility for the attack. Scores of Palestinian high school students took to the streets on Monday morning in central Gaza and closed all the streets leading into the city, protesting the state of lawlessness in the Gaza Strip. Students closed the streets using tires and garbage bins, causing huge traffic jams around Gaza City.

The Hamas and Fatah parties are working together to prevent further internal fighting in the Palestinian areas, said Dr. Salah Bardaweel, spokesperson of the Hamas bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council on Monday. At least eight Palestinians were killed and over 60 were injured in the intense clashes in the Gaza Strip Sunday.

The West Bank Update

The in fighting spread to West Bank cities on Monday. A Jericho resident Nasser Al Ja'fari, 36, was shot and killed on Monday afternoon by a group of armed men, while closing down trade in the city in an attempt to enforce the general strike called by President Mahoud Abas late on Sunday evening.

Al Ja'fari was moved to a nearby hospital in the city. Meanwhile, Jericho residents have condemned the killing of Nassar and the enforced shop closures and the gunmen's violence acts toward Jericho citizens. A group of unknown gunmen attacked the house and car of Hassan Al Titi, a local journalist working for Al Jazeera TV in the West Bank city of Nablus on Monday morning.

Local sources said that the gunmen open fired at Al Titi's house and his car. Damage was reported, but Al Titi and his family escaped unharmed. In the past 10 days in Nablus a group of unknown gunmen attacked the offices of the Palestininian news agency WAFA and Al Quds newspaper in the city. No political group claimed responsibility.

A group of unknown gunmen also attacked several civil society organizations and private property in the West Bank city of Jenin on Monday at dawn. The targeted organizations are known to be affiliated with Hamas. Some buildings were shot at with live rounds, while others were set on fire. The gunmen also open fired on some property belonging to Hamas officials in the city. Among the organizations targeted was Anssar, a group dedicated to the care of Palestinian prisoners.

At least six Palestinians were injured Monday during internal clashes between the two major Palestinian parties, Hamas and Fatah, in the West Bank city of Nablus -- among them the bodyguard of Deputy Prime Minister Naser Al Dein Al Sha'er.

The clashes erupted in the city center , beginning when a group of gunmen attacked the car of Al Sha'er and shot his bodyguard Samier Drozah, 26, in his chest. Drozah was moved to a nearby hospital in the city, local sources reported. Also, Omer Dolah, 25, and Rabi'e Abu Al Lil, 28, were injured during the clashes, and moved to a nearby hospital.

In the meantime, Israeli soldiers stationed at the entrance of Abraham Mosque, known by the Israelis as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, closed the mosque on Monday for the Jewish holidays. An army source said the tomb will be closed to Palestinian residents until Tuesday morning to allow the illegal Israeli settlers in the city to celebrate Yom Kippur. Local residents said that the Israeli army has intensified its presence in the old city and other areas surrounding the mosque.

Moreover, the Israeli army took prisoner two residents from the village of Dora, south of Hebron on Monday morning. The detainees were known as Omer Al Awwadah, 25 and Ahmad Tubesh, 23. Both were taken to unknown locations after troops searched and ransacked their family homes, eyewitnesses reported.

The Israeli army also invaded the village of Tamon, south of the West Bank city of Salfit on Monday morning and searched several houses. Local sources reported that at least seven army vehicles and jeeps stormed the village while troops searched and ransacked several houses.
Conclusion
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