Category Archives: Palestine

61 Palestinians killed since midnight in the 26th day of the Israeli offensive in Gaza

At least 61 Palestinians were killed overnight in the Gaza Strip in different Israeli attacks, many of them children and elderly. 35 of them were killed in Rafah, which has been suffering ongoing attacks since yesterday at noon.

Medical sources reported this morning about the killing of three Palestinians in Israeli airstrikes that targeted their home in the Maghazi refugee camp, central Gaza Strip. They have been identified as Amr Tarek Hassan Kandil, Wael Nihad and Mohammad Tayseer Hassan Kandil. The medical source informed that the martyrs were directly hit by the rocket on their house.

This morning at dawn local sources reported the killing of 23 people in several Israeli attacks against residential buildings in the west of Rafah. There were also more than 40 people injured.

via 61 Palestinians killed since midnight in the 26th day of the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Qassam: Missing soldier likely killed by Israeli shelling | Maan News Agency

Hamas’ military wing said early Saturday that it has no information on the whereabouts of the Israeli soldier missing in Gaza, and suggested that he had been killed by Israeli shelling.

The al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that it had lost contact with a group of militants that could have captured a soldier amid clashes with Israeli troops early Friday.

“We lost contact with a group of fighters … when Israeli occupation forces penetrated east of Rafah. We suspect they were all killed by Israeli shelling, including the soldier, who, supposedly, was abducted by the group.”

The statement went on to explain Hamas’ understanding of the chronology of events that led to the collapse of the ceasefire on Friday.

“What happened east of Rafah Friday morning was that occupation forces took advantage of the alleged humanitarian ceasefire to penetrate our land for more than two kilometers. We estimate that our fighters who were in the area clashed with the Israeli troops around 7:00 before the alleged ceasefire went into effect.”

“Then, Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling targeted Palestinian civilians after 10:00 a.m., breaching the ceasefire under the pretext of searching for a missing soldier.”

The account differs significantly from Israeli army statements about the collapse of the ceasefire.

via Qassam: Missing soldier likely killed by Israeli shelling | Maan News Agency.

Netanyahu tells Kerry: Hamas will pay a very high price for the capture of the soldier

So – he wants to kill another 1,000 non-Hamas members to “punish” Hamas! He is popular now and does not need to kill anymore children to get his party and government re-elected

The Israeli media has reported that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, told John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, on the phone that Hamas will pay a very high price for the operation they carried out this morning in Rafah.

Netanyahu said that Hamas had broken the terms of the ‘humanitarian’ ceasefire with this attack in which they killed two Israeli soldiers and capture another.

via Netanyahu tells Kerry: Hamas will pay a very high price for the capture of the soldier.

Saudi king: World silence on Israel ‘war crimes’ ‘inexcusable’ | Maan News Agency

Saudi King Abdullah said Friday that world silence over Israeli “war crimes” in the Gaza Strip was “inexcusable” and would only breed more violence in the future.

“We see the blood of out brothers in Palestine being shed in collective massacres that have spared nobody, and in war crimes against humanity,” the king said in a speech carried by state news agency SPA.

via Saudi king: World silence on Israel ‘war crimes’ ‘inexcusable’ | Maan News Agency.

All true but will he denounce his allowing Saudi’s to fund ISIS?

90 Palestinians injured by live fire in Hebron clashes | Maan News Agency

More than 90 Palestinians were injured by live fire during clashes with Israeli forces in Hebron on Friday, medics said.

Wilid Zaloum, director of Hebron Governmental Hospital, told Ma’an more 90 Palestinians arrived at the hospital with bullet wounds after being shot by Israeli forces.

Three of the Palestinians were critically injured, Zaloum told Ma’an. Many others were in moderate condition after being shot in the lower extremities.

via 90 Palestinians injured by live fire in Hebron clashes | Maan News Agency.

JUST STOP! RETURN SOLDIER! HONOR CEASE FIRE EVERYONE! Israeli army threatens to call up 80,000 reservists, re-occupy Rafah | Maan News Agency

The Israeli response to the capture of a soldier in Rafah will be “crushing,” Israeli media quoted the army as saying on Friday.

Israeli news website Walla said on Friday that the Israeli army threatened to call up to 80,000 reservists and to “re-occupy” Rafah.

Earlier on Friday, Hamas captured an Israeli soldier in an attack on a post east of Rafah inside the Gaza Strip.

Hamas said that Israeli forces had used the announcement of the ceasefire earlier in the evening to expand operations into the area, and the group carried out the attack before a planned ceasefire came into effect at 8 a.m.

Israel, however, said that the attack began after the ceasefire began at 9:30 a.m.

Israel has killed more than 1,500 Palestinians in its assault on Gaza over the last 25 days.

The Gaza Strip was directly occupied by Israel for nearly 40 years beginning in 1967, but in 2005 Israeli forces pulled out and a year later imposed an economic blockade after Hamas was elected in democratic elections.

Israel maintains effective control over Gaza’s airspace, borders, and sea, meaning that under international law it is still considered to be occupied.

via Israeli army threatens to call up 80,000 reservists, re-occupy Rafah | Maan News Agency.

Gaza death toll surpasses that of Cast Lead as count hits 1,422 | Maan News Agency

YOU CAN STOP NOW – YOU PASSED YOUR MARK FOR KILLING INNOCENTS ON ONE OPERATION! The Palestinian death toll in the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza surpassed that of Operation Cast Lead on Thursday as the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks hit 1,422.

In the most recent lethal Israeli attack, an airstrike hit Khan Younis, killing 21-year-old Mohammad Yusef Abadla, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said.

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, 1,417 Palestinians were killed during Israel’s infamous three-week offensive on Gaza in 2008-2009.

via Gaza death toll surpasses that of Cast Lead as count hits 1,422 | Maan News Agency.

BBC News – Israel ‘to destroy’ Hamas Gaza tunnels – Netanyahu

You do not – you do not have to level cities to disable or destroy tunnels – think again and stop the bombing and needless killing of civilians!

“I won’t agree to any proposal that will not enable the Israeli military to complete this important task for the sake of Israel’s security,” Mr Netanyahu said.

The tunnels would allow Hamas to “abduct and murder civilians and IDF soldiers while simultaneously attacking from the tunnels penetrating our territory,” he added.

via BBC News – Israel ‘to destroy’ Hamas Gaza tunnels – Netanyahu.

US restocks Israel with ammunition | Maan News Agency

Ceasefire called for but resupply with ammo to use against Gaza – OK!?!

The United States confirmed it had restocked Israel’s supplies of ammunition, hours after issuing a strong condemnation of an attack on a United Nations school in Gaza.

The Israeli military requested additional ammunition to restock its dwindling supplies on July 20, the Pentagon said. The US Defense Department approved the sale just three days later.

“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.

“This defense sale is consistent with those objectives.”

Two of the requested munitions came from a little-known stockpile of ammunition stored by the US military on the ground in Israel for emergency use. The War Reserve Stockpile Ammunition-Israel is estimated to be worth $1 billion.

via US restocks Israel with ammunition | Maan News Agency.

UN: ‘world stands disgraced’ as shelter for Gaza children is shelled by Israel | World | The Guardian

United Nations officials described the killing of sleeping children as a disgrace to the world and accused Israel of a serious violation of international law after a school in Gaza being used to shelter Palestinian families was shelled on Wednesday.

At least 15 people, mostly children and women, died when the school in Jabaliya refugee camp was hit by five shells during a night of relentless bombardment across Gaza. More than 100 people were injured.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, said the attack was “outrageous and unjustifiable” and demanded “accountability and justice”. The UN said its officials had repeatedly given details of the school and its refugee population to Israel.

via UN: ‘world stands disgraced’ as shelter for Gaza children is shelled by Israel | World | The Guardian.