Witnesses: Israeli gunships shelled western Khan Younis

Date: 23 / 03 / 2009  Time:  09:52
Gaza – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation terrorist forces gunships shelled the Al-Mawassi area in western Khan Younis on Monday, while an Israeli Special Forces unit invaded the eastern area of the Gaza Strip city.

In a telephone call to Ma'an, a spokesperson for the Israeli military denied such an operation took place.

But eyewitnesses told Ma’an that Israeli ships opened fire at houses in the Al-Mawassi coastal area in western Khan Younis. No injuries were immediately reported.

Meanwhile, explosions were heard in the Al-Farahin area in the east of the city, when an Israeli unit attempted to invade the area, residents said. Palestinian fighters reportedly clashed with soldiers in the area.

For its part, the Hamas-affiliated Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for launching five mortar shells at invading Israeli forces operating in the area.

On Thursday, two men, identified as Ramzy Abu Nassar and Na’eem Al- U’ruqi, were killed by Israeli artillery shells. They were with a group of Palestinian fighters during a “special mission,” according to a spokesperson for the Al-Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah.


***Updated 11:54 Gaza time

Gaza City children killed while playing with suspicious object

Date: 22 / 03 / 2009  Time:  18:17
Gaza – Ma’an –

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) confirmed that two children were killed by a suspicious object in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City on Saturday.

It was not immediately clear whether if the object was a weapon, although the PCHR speculated it could have been unexploded ordinance left behind from Israel's recent 22-day assault on the Gaza Strip.

The boys were identified as 14-year-old Mohammed Hijji and 15-year-old Ahmed Shunaiwra. They were reportedly killed instantly when the object exploded, according to medics at Al-Shifa Hospital.

Palestinian police sources informed PCHR that they had opened an investigation into the incident, but that they had not obtained any data about the suspicious object.

In a statement, the PCHR called on all concerned sides to take specific and required measures to make sure such accidents do not happen again.

"PCHR is gravely concerned about increasing casualties resulting from the misuse of weapons, and calls upon all relevant authorities to introduce relevant and appropriate controls to eradicate risks," the group said in the statement.

Unexploded Israeli ordinance kills two children in Al-Zaitoun-area blast

Date: 21 / 03 / 2009  Time:  21:52
Gaza – Ma’an –

Two Palestinian children were killed by an explosive charge left in the Al-Zaitoun neighborhood by the Israeli army after it withdrew from the area following the Gaza onslaught.

The head of the Emergency and Ambulance Department within Gaza's Ministry of Health, Mu'awiyah Hassanain, said the two were moved to Al-Shifa Hospital. Their identity is not known yet.