Five Qassam Fighters Killed as Dozens of Homemade Shells are Fired

Wednesday December 24, 2008 10:04 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Ezzuddin Al-Qassam, the armed wing of the ruling Hamas party in Gaza, announced the death of five of its fighters during separate military operations in the northern Gaza Strip early Wednesday.

A statement by Al-Qassam Brigades read that three of those killed were members of it's elite force, and that they were killed during an armed clash with Israeli occupation forces near the Netev Hatsara settlement, along the northern Israel-Gaza border.

Israeli sources claimed that the Israeli occupation army killed late on Tuesday night three armed Palestinians near the Netev Hatsara settlement after they were spotted by the army planting explosive devices (on the Palestinian side) near the security fence that separates Gaza and Israel.

Meanwhile, Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed that two other fighters were killed in southern Gaza. The statement read that the two fighters were killed during a 'resistance mission' along the border in the southern Gaza Strip town of Al-Qarara.  Overnight, scores of homemade shells were reportedly fired into nearby Israeli towns.

Al-Quds Battalions, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, declared responsibility for firing seven homemade shells into the nearby Israeli towns of Sderot and Asqalan (Ashkelon).

Al-Qassam Brigades said the latest round of launching homemade shells were in response to continued Israeli occupation army attacks on the Gaza Strip, including the latest incursion in which five of its resistance fighters were shot dead.

Five Qassam fighters killed within the past few hours

[ 24/12/2008 - 11:19 AM ]

KHAN YOUNIS, (PIC)--

Five members of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, were killed over the past few hours three in Israeli occupation forces' (IOF) shooting and two while on "Jihad mission", the armed wing announced in a communiqué on Wednesday.

The communiqué said that Islam Jadallah, 23, and Muhammed Al-Halabi, 21, were killed at dawn Wednesday while on a "Jihad mission" east of Khan Younis, to the south of the Gaza Strip.

The armed wing also announced that three Palestinian resistance fighters that the IOF soldiers had shot and killed at a late hour on Tuesday were members of its special unit and held the IOF fully responsible for consequences of their assassination.

 Al-Qassam Brigades in retaliation to the IOF crimes fired 17 mortar shells at five Israeli occupation army positions and settlements to the north and south of the Gaza Strip.

It said that fire was seen in Nahal Oz military post after the shelling.

Elderly Palestinian political prisoner dies in Israeli jail

Date: 24 / 12 / 2008  Time:  10:49
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Palestinian political prisoner, 65-year-old Juma’ah Isma’il Muhammed Moussa from Jerusalem died on Tuesday evening at Israeli Nitzan prison in Ramla after he fell ill.

According to Israeli sources, the victim was hospitalized in Israeli Prison Service medical facility where he collapsed and was later announced dead.

Moussa had been serving lifetime imprisonment since 1993. According to the Palestinian Prisoner Society in Bethlehem in the southern West Bank, he suffered from heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes. He was married and left behind a widow and eight children.

Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member from Bethlehem Issa Qaraqi’, in charge of prisoners committee in the PLC held Israel accountable for death describing that as “war crime”. He called for formation of international committee to investigate the incident along with the cases of several other prisoners who do not receive proper medical treatment.

Qaraqi’ told Ma’an that Juma’a Moussa is the second Palestinian prisoner who died in Israel’s custody in 2008 due to medical negligence.

Israeli occupation forces kidnap five West Bankers

Date: 24 / 12 / 2008  Time:  08:22
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation forces kidnapped on Wednesday morning five Palestinian youths from the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia and the southern West Bank town of Beit Ummar north of Hebron, after ransacking their homes.

Israeli occupation forces said all “wanted” five youths were taken to interrogation centers.

Israeli Occupation Forces Kidnap Palestinian Residents from the West Bank

Wednesday December 24, 2008 10:56 by IMEMC Staff - IMEMC&Agencies

The Israeli occupation army kidnapped on Wednesday several Palestinian residents from different West Bank areas.

Palestinian security sources reported that at least seven Palestinian residents were kidnapped by Israeli troops in the West Bank cities of Bethlehem, Nablus, Hebron and Qalqilia. The sources said that a large number of Israeli occupation soldiers cordoned off residents' houses in the said areas and began ransacking them before detaining seven residents.

Despite repeated calls on Israel to release 11,500 Palestinian political prisoners from Israeli jails, Israel continues to arrest more Palestinians, on daily basis.

Israeli occupation government cancels transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip

Date: 24 / 12 / 2008  Time:  09:28
Gaza – Ma’an –

The Israeli occupation government decided on Wednesday to cancel its decision to temporarily open the Gaza Strip border crossings of Kerem Shalom and karni on Wednesday to transfer humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, said the Assistant Undersecretary of the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy Nasser Al-Sarraj.

Al-Sarraj told Ma’an, “The Israelis informed us early on Wednesday morning that the decision to open Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings has been cancelled. They gave no reasons, neither did they mention opening Nahal ‘Oz crossing for fuel deliveries.”

According to Al-Sarraj, 20 truckloads of flour, rice, sugar and cooking oil were supposed to enter the Gaza Strip in addition to 39 truckloads of wheat and fodder and 25 truckloads of food products for the UNRWA.

For his part, Israeli defence minister, Ehud Barak gave directives to cancel the planned transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip following the rocket and mortar barrages which hit southern Israel on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to the electronic website of Israeli daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronot.