Israel violates Egypt-brokered truce, escalates aerial attacks on Gaza

[ 30/10/2011 - 10:18 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Israel has escalated its military aggression against the Gaza Strip and intensified its air raids at dawn Sunday immediately after a truce brokered by Egypt was declared between the two sides.

A spokesman for medical services in Gaza told the Palestinian information center (PIC) reporter there that Israel waged from one o'clock to three thirty in the morning more than 10 air strikes on different targets in Gaza especially in Khan Younis and Rafah areas..

The air raids caused extreme horror and panic among civilians especially the children and material damage in the bombed areas, the spokesman added.

Egypt was reported to have managed to broker a truce, supposed to start at three o'clock at dawn, between the Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza and the Israeli occupation state, but the latter waged a series of air raids after this time violating the cease-fire.

A Palestinian informed source told the PIC that efforts made by the Egyptian intelligence service was able to convince the resistance factions in Gaza especially the Islamic Jihad Movement to accept a reciprocal cease-fire with the Israeli occupation starting today at three o'clock in the morning.

Death toll in Gaza rises to nine Palestinians after renewed Israeli aggression

[ 30/10/2011 - 10:14 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

 Two more Palestinian resistance fighters from Islamic Jihad Movement were proclaimed dead at an early hour Sunday during another Israeli air raid west of Gaza city.

Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, said two more of its fighters, were killed today when Israeli warplanes bombed a group of fighters near the abandoned airstrip west of Gaza city.

Earlier on Saturday, seven resistance fighters from Al-Quds Brigades were announced dead and many others, including civilians, were wounded during similar aerial attacks on Rafah border area, south of the Gaza Strip.

A spokesman for the Brigades told the Palestinian information center (PIC) yesterday that the armed wing of Islamic Jihad would retaliate strongly to Israel's crimes and its soldiers would pay dearly for what happened.

In this context, one Israeli settler was reported dead on Saturday evening and 20 others were wounded during rocket counterattacks that were waged in retaliation to a series of Israeli deadly air strikes on Gaza.

The Hebrew radio said yesterday that six settlers were injured, some of them seriously, and 14 others suffered extreme panic when missiles fired from Gaza landed near them.

The radio added that two settlers sustained moderate to serious injuries and two others suffocated from smoke when one grad missile hit a building in Ashkelon city.

Another grad missile landed in a parking lot causing damage to many cars and slight injuries to one settler, a similar rocket attack were also waged on Gan Yavneh settlement leading to the injury of one settler, according to the radio.

The radio revealed that the anti-rocket iron dome, which was established near Gaza borderline with the Israeli occupied lands, was able to intercept one missile only heading to Beersheba.

Meanwhile, the Israeli police raised the state of alert to a higher level in all settlements near Gaza after a number of projectiles and grad missiles, fired from Gaza in retaliation to Israel's deadly attacks, landed inside Israeli occupied areas.

Medics: Israeli airstrike kills 1, critically wounds another

Published yesterday (updated) 30/10/2011 16:23

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) --

A fighter from the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine was killed, and another critically injured, as Israel launched an airstrike on the Gaza Strip hours after a ceasefire truce was agreed upon by Gaza resistance organizations.

Medical spokesman in the Gaza Strip Adham Abu Salmiya said that one man was killed in the airstrike on Rafah. The victim was identified as Ahmad Jarkhoun.

Another man was critically wounded and rushed to hospital, he added.

The National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the DFLP, announced in a statement that Jarkhoun was one of their leaders. They confirmed that he was killed in the Israeli airstrike.

The statement called on resistance factions in Gaza to retaliate for "this cowardly crime."

The Israeli occupation army confirmed the strike, claiming that Palestinian fighters in the southern Gaza Strip were preparing to fire projectiles, a statement said.

The latest strike on the coastal enclave comes as the Islamic Jihad movement confirmed earlier on Sunday that it would abide by truce efforts.

"Islamic Jihad is committed to the truce as long as the occupation commits to it," an official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"This decision comes after Egyptian efforts to convince the resistance factions, especially Islamic Jihad leaders in Damascus," he added.

Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip killed nine fighters from Islamic Jihad's armed wing on Saturday, and Gaza resistance fighters fired a volley of rockets and mortars into southern Israel, killing one Israeli in Ashkelon.

The most recent flareup in violence is the worst since August, when clashes in and around the Gaza Strip killed 27 Palestinians and an Israeli.

AFP contributed to this report

Hours after ceasefire declared- Palestinian killed, another wounded south of Rafah

Sunday October 30, 2011 17:40 by Alaa Ashkar - IMEMC & Agencies

Resident, Ahmed Gargun, was killed and another was wounded on Sunday afternoon as an Israeli air strike targeted a group of the National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Eastern city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

Image by Maan News Agency Website

Adham Abu-Silmiyya, medical spokesman in Gaza, told the Maan News Agency that the wounded moved to local hospital with serious injury.

On Sunday morning, the Gaza Strip Palestinian groups and Israel agreed on a ceasefire but the Israeli warplanes are still flying over the air of the Gaza Strip since then.

For its part, the National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, mourned the killing of one of its fighters, Ahmad Gargun, head of the missile-firing group in the Brigades.

The NRB issued a statement saying that Israel is held responsible for the military escalation in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, the statement called on the NRB fighters to respond for the Israeli air strike, led to the killing of one of its fighters.

The Brigades also called upon the international community to take action regarding the protection of Palestinian civilians who are exposed to the Israeli air strikes and missiles.

The escalation triggered out on Saturday when an Israeli air strike targeted a military center for training which belongs to the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, leading to the death of five of the Al-Quds Brigades’ fighters and several others were injured.

It is worth mentioning that the number of killed people in the last escalation increased to 10 Palestinians and one Israeli who was killed in Asqalan as Palestinians rockets targeted houses in the city.

Despite Declared Ceasefire; Israel Bombards Several Areas In Gaza

Sunday October 30, 2011 07:13 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Despite a mediated ceasefire mediated by Egypt between the resistance in the Gaza Strip, and Israel, the Israeli army bombarded, on Sunday at dawn, several areas in different parts of the Gaza Strip.

Media sources in Gaza reported that the army carried out at least ten airstrikes after a ceasefire, mediated by Egypt, was announced.

The ceasefire was reached following a day of bloody shelling that led to the death of nine Palestinian fighters in Gaza and one Israeli. Dozens of injuries were reported.

Adham Abu Salmiyya, spokesperson the of Higher Committee of the Medical and Emergency Services in Gaza, stated that the Israeli Air Force carried out at least ten strikes in two hours, Sunday at dawn, leading to damages in Gaza District, Al-Wusta (Central) District, in addition to Khan Younis and Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip; dozens of residents, especially children, suffered anxiety attacks due to the shelling; damage was reported.

Furthermore, the Palestinian Information Canter reported that, in Khan Younis, the army also bombarded Al-Qadisiyya Center that belongs to the Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, Ahrar Movement Center, and a third area located west of the city.

The Center added that the truce between the resistance and Israel was declared in Egypt shortly after 3 a.m Sunday, but the Israeli army did not stop its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, and carried out additional strikes targeting Khan Younis.

On Sunday at dawn, the army fired missiles at fighters in Al-Nafaq Street, in Gaza City, but the fighters managed to escape the shells unharmed.

Later on, the army fired a missile at residents in Al-Shuja'iyya neighborhood east of Gaza city, in addition to shelling Tunis Base that belongs to the Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas in the city, and third area east of Rafah.

The amount of destruction remains unclear due to the extensive presence of Israeli war-jets, and drones flying over different parts of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip led to the death of nine Palestinian fighters in less than 24 hours; excessive damage was reported and several residents were wounded.

The resistance fired dozens of shells into southern Israel and leading to the death of one Israeli man. while several others suffered anxiety attacks.

Israeli Ynet News reported that a total of 24 shells and rockets were fired into Israeli territories in the south on Saturday. Shells were fired into Sha'ar Ha-Negev Regional Council in the Negev.

Israeli daily, Maariv, reported that several Israelis were mildly injured when three Grad missiles hit a nine-story building in Isdood (after the Israeli occupation, it became Ashdod).

2 Fighters Killed In Gaza; 9 in Less Than 24 hours, One Israeli Killed In Asqalan

Sunday October 30, 2011 05:27 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, reported on Sunday at dawn, that two of its fighters were killed in an Israeli Air Strike targeting an area west of Gaza City. On Saturday afternoon, seven fighters were killed in Tal Al Sultan, in southern Gaza. Several Palestinians were injured. One Israeli was killed by a Palestinian shell in Asqalan (Ashkelon).

The Brigades stated that the most recent Israeli shelling led to the death of Suheil Jundiyya and Mardy Hajjaj. Its fighters then fired a barrage of Grad and Quds missiles, in addition to several mortar shells leading to the death of one Israeli in Ashkelon while several others were treated for shock; damage was reported.

Israeli Ynet News reported that the Israeli man, Moshe Ami, 56, was seriously injured by shrapnel of a shell fired into Ashkelon.

The Ynet added that a total of 24 shells and rockets were fired into Israeli territories in the south on Saturday. Shells were fired into Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council in the Negev.

Israeli daily, Maariv, reported that several Israelis were mildly injured when three Grad missiles hit a nine-story building in Ashdod.

The Al Quds Brigades stated that the firing of mortars comes in retaliation to the Israeli escalation against Gaza that led to the deal of 9 of its fighters in less than 24 hours.

It added that in the first Israeli Air Strike, Saturday, the army killed Ahmad Al Sheikh Khalil, one of its engineers and a brother of four fighters who were also killed by the army in previous attacks, in addition to Hasan Al Khodary, Bassem Abu Al Ata, Mohammad Ashour, and Abdul-Karim Shatat.

The second Air Strike, targeting an area east of Rafah, led to the death of Quds Brigades fighters Sami Abu Sabt and Suleiman Abu Fatma.

The Third attack targeted an area west of Gaza city, leading to death of fighters Mardi Hajjaj, and Suheil Jundiyya, from Al Shijaeyya neighborhood in Gaza.

In a press release, the Brigades claimed responsibility for firing 12 Grad missiles into southern Israel, and for firing four 80-mlm mortar shells into Kerem Shalom military base, in addition to firing several shells into Nativ Hasara, Sofa, Sderot, Asqalan, Miftahim, Lahkish, Gan Yavneh, Ofakim and Kfar Azza.

Several Resistance groups in the Gaza Strip, including the Popular Resistance Brigades, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, Al Aqsa – Ayman Jouda Brigades, stated that the Israeli military escalation and the death of the nine fighters “requires all resistance groups to retaliate to the ongoing Israeli crimes”.

Seven Palestinians killed by Israeli drone attacks in Gaza; 1 Israeli killed by retaliatory shelling

Alaa Ashkar - IMEMC & agencies Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:20:40

Seven Palestinians were killed, and five others were injured, in two Israeli drone attacks on Saturday afternoon that targeted a training center used by the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, and a group of fighters gathered near the border with Israel. A Palestinian shell fired in retaliation killed one Israeli and wounded two.

The Israeli Air Force used unmanned drones to fire at least two missiles into a training center for the Al-Quds Brigades near Tal As-Sultan, in the south of the Gaza Strip; at least five fighters were killed in the attack. Two hours later, another drone missile fired at a group of Palestinian fighters killed two.

Medics arrived at the scene of the first attack and transferred the dead and the wounded to a local hospital, local sources reported.

The Al-Quds Brigades issued a statement confirming that one of its military training centers was bombarded, and leading to several casualties.

The Brigades said that Ahmad Al Sheikh Khalil, one of its main leaders specialized in explosives, was killed in the attack, and added that Khalil is the brother of four fighters who were previously killed by the Israeli army.

Fighters Basem Abu Al Ata, Mohammad Ashour Shatat, Imad Bakeer and Bassel Ghannam, were also killed in the attack.

The Brigades vowed retaliation while its spokesman, Abu Ahmad, to the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Information Center, that what happened is a serious Israeli escalation, and a crime that "cannot go unpunished".

Within two hours, groups of fighters had mobilized to fire homemade shells across the border with Israel, one of which hit the city of Ashkelon, north of the Gaza Strip, killing one Israeli civilian and wounding two others.

The Israeli Air Force then launched another drone, targeting a group of fighters near the border which they claim were preparing to fire another homemade shell. The drone hit the group with a missile, killing two and bringing the total number of Palestinian casualties to seven.