6 Palestinians Killed in an Israeli Occupation Forces Raid on Central Gaza Strip

Five Palestinians killed in IOF incursion in central Gaza

[ 05/07/2007 - 09:31 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- 

Five Palestinians including three members of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas Movement, were killed at dawn Thursday in an Israeli occupation forces (IOF) incursion near Breij refugee camp in central Gaza.

Tens of IOF armored vehicles backed by warplanes intruded hundreds of meters east of Breij and Maghazi refugee camps and were confronted by Palestinian resistance fighters.

Palestinian sources said that an IOF special unit had earlier occupied high buildings east of Maghazi refugee camp before the incursion.

For its part, the armed wing of Hamas said that its fighters clashed with the special IOF unit and fired an RPG at them and another at an Israeli bulldozer.

The QB mourned the death of the three members, affirming that the IOF would regret its continued atrocities.

It said that the three martyrs fell in a violent clash with the advancing IOF troops, noting that two others were wounded.

Medical sources said that four of the martyrs were identified while the fifth was not yet recognized because the ambulance cars could not evacuate him so far.

For its part, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, said that its members engaged an IOF special force in the same area for 15 minutes at 07.48 am local time Thursday from a close distance.

The armed wing said that casualties were inflicted in lines of the force while the Quds Brigades fighters retreated safely.

It further said that two RPGs were unleashed at two IOF armored vehicles east of Maghazi and four mortar shells were fired at the IOF position in Kerem Shalom.

Israeli occupation army invades central Gaza Strip, 6 Palestinians killed 

Date: 05 / 07 / 2007 Time: 09:07

Gaza - Ma'an - 

Six Palestinians activists from the Hamas-affiliated Al-Qassam Brigades were killed on Thursday morning in clashes with Israeli occupation forces east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

At least 11 Palestinians have been injured, including a photographer for Al Aqsa TV.

Our Gaza correspondent quoted medical sources as saying that Muhammad Siyam, Muhammad Al-Uweidat and Ahmad Al-Qreinawi from the Al-Qassam Brigades were killed.

Later, medical sources said that the bodies of Muhammad Nour and Mahmoud Abu Gharqood, also both members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, had also arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al Balah. Their bodies were "torn into pieces," the sources said. The two men had been targeted by an Israeli drone east of Al-Bureij refugee camp.

A sixth, as yet unnamed, member of the Al-Qassam Brigades was also killed in the ongoing clashes.

The Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed the death of its activists and affirmed that Muhammad Siyam was one of the brigades' field leaders.

Eyewitnesses earlier reported that there were three bodies lying on the ground, and ambulances could not evacuate them.

Palestinian security sources close to the area affirmed that the Israeli forces were flattening large swathes of agricultural land amid heavy gunfire and sporadic artillery shells.

Meanwhile, the director of ambulance and emergencies in the Palestinian ministry of health, Dr Mu'awiya Abu Hassanain, announced that two medics, Muhammad Salihi and Azmi Abu Dalal, were arrested by the Israeli forces while they travelling in an ambulance.

Abu Hassanain added that another Palestinian man, Muhammad Mansour, 22, was seriously injured when he was hit by an artillery shell.

Medical sources later said that the number of injuries had risen to eleven, including one seriously injured. A photographer for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV was also amongst the injured.

The Israeli forces also besieged two homes belonging to the Nabahin and Abu Ajami families.

Clashes are still ongoing around Al Bureij refugee camp following this Israeli incursion into the central strip.

In a related regard, the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, have claimed responsibility for clashing with an Israeli undercover force east of Al-Maghazi refugee camp, also in the central Gaza Strip.

The Al-Quds Brigades also claimed responsibility for launching a rocket-propelled grenade at an Israeli military tank east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in addition to four more shells at an Israeli military post near the Karm Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing in the southern Gaza Strip.

The brigades said in a statement that the operation was in retaliation for "the Israeli atrocities."

The National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), and the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), also claimed to have clashed with Israeli Special Forces on Thursday morning east of Al Bureij refugee camp.

The brigades said in a statement received by Ma'an that the brigades would continue to resist the "Israeli crimes committed against the Palestinian people." They also called on all the Palestinian powers to demonstrate unity in order to end the Israeli intensified actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

**updated 13:45, July 5th

 

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