One Palestinian killed as Israel ups attacks

Following a halt to their military action in the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces are now targeting towns in the West Bank, killing at least one Palestinian.

Thirty homes were destroyed in the Rafah invasion

According to the Aljazeera correspondent in Jenin, a father of four children was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers who randomly opened fire at residents in the town of Jab’a.

The town, near Jenin, was raided by Israeli forces, who claimed they were looking for wanted activists.

At the same time, occupation forces, backed by 15 military vehicles, have raided the town of Qabatya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, sealing it off.

According to Aljazeera’s correspondent there, the forces randomly opened fire and surrounded the house of Yasir Nazzal, purported to be a leader within the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

The Israeli forces forced the occupants of the house out “keeping them in the cold weather for hours”.

“They searched the houses completely, scattering its contents”.

“However, it seems the forces failed to capture Nazzal”, the correspondent said.

In the West Bank village of al-Aqaba, residents have been warned that 13 houses will be demolished there, as they are situated near the apartheid wall, according to the correspondent. “The forces earlier demolished two houses in the same village”.
 
Curfew in Nablus

Meanwhile, according to sources, a curfew continues over the West Bank town of Nablus. The refugee camp of Balata was invaded six days ago and residents there are still under house arrest. “Movement for even emergency services is restricted”, say our sources.

Palestinians carry body of 5-year old boy killed by Israelis in Balata
Palestinians carry body of 5-year old boy killed by Israelis in Balata

Palestinians carry body of 5-year
old boy killed by Israelis in Balata

“There are reports of much gunfire, with many injured affected by the numerous teargas cannisters thrown inside the camp to facilitate troop movement”.

At least two children, aged 5 and 13, were killed during the invasions. One was hit in the head by a rubber bullet fired by the Israeli army.

One house in Balata, on the southern border of the camp, has been under occupation for the past seven days. At least thirty people are holed up inside and no supplies have been allowed in, sources add.

Tulkarm raid

In the West Bank town of Tulkarm, an Israeli soldier was injured in clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters. This occurred during an Israeli raid on the town’s refugee camp, Aljazeera’s correspondent reported.

About 30 Israeli military vehicles raided the camp early on Wednesday. 

The forces later withdrew, following heavy resistance.

Rafah “carnage” halted

The Israeli army earlier announced a halt to a massive invasion in the southern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Rafah. Ten Palestinians were killed and 42 injured, in the raid which began at dawn on Tuesday.

Confirming that the invasion has been halted for now, Aljazeera correspondent, Khaled Amayreh, said the military action was part of ongoing attempts to “terrorise the local population”.

Rafah mayor says Israelis were acting like
Rafah mayor says Israelis were acting like “Gestapo”

Rafah mayor says Israelis were
acting like “Gestapo”

Amayreh reports that the mayor of Rafah, Muhammad Agha, described the onslaught as a “massacre”.

“Indiscriminate machine gunfire and maiming were part of the action taken by the soldiers”, the mayor told our correspondent.

The mayor added that “the Israeli soldiers were acting like Nazis, they have become like the Nazis, they were acting like the Gestapo”.

Agha appealed for international intervention “in putting a stop to the carnage”.

The action in Rafah, described by Israelis as a swoop on gunrunner tunnels, followed the death of two Israeli soldiers in a resistance attack on Monday. Two Palestinian factions, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Islamic Jihad’s military wing, Saraya al-Quds, claimed responsibility for killing the soldiers.

A senior Palestinian delegation on Wednesday postponed talks with Israel aimed at bringing about a Middle East peace summit following the raid on Rafah.

Source: Al Jazeera