Description

According to Palestinian reports, a 20-year-old farmer was wounded in his eye after soldiers fired tear gas; IDF says in response only one Palestinian wounded.

By Jack Khoury, Chaim Levinson and Gili Cohen

Palestinian sources reported on Friday that four citizens were moderately wounded in two incidents in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to the reports, a 20-year-old farmer was wounded in the eye after IDF soldiers fired tear gas. Three others were wounded by gunfire east of the Jabaliya refugee camp. The wounded were taken to a Gaza hospital.

The IDF said in response that only one Palestinian wounded.

Meanwhile, Israeli military police investigators are looking into the circumstances of the shooting death Wednesday of a 21-year-old Bethlehem woman, Lubnah Hanash. The IDF Spokesman declined to say whether Hanash, who is the first woman killed by IDF fire in the West Bank since April 2007, had been targeted in the shooting.

The IDF confirmed the incident, saying an initial investigation revealed that an army squad was ambushed by firebombs and rocks on Highway 60 near the Al-Aroub refugee camp and opened fire, fearing for their lives. Hanash was allegedly killed by an Israel Defense Forces officer at about 2 P.M. on a stretch of Route 60 in the West Bank between Bethlehem and Hebron.

In an unrelated incident, a 15-year-old boy from Bethlehem, Salah Amarin, died Wednesday at Hadassah University Hospital at Ein Karem in Jerusalem after being shot by Israeli troops on Friday near Rachel’s Tomb in the Bethlehem area. He had initially been taken to a local hospital, but was transferred to Hadassah for further treatment. The army said that he had been firing stones with a slingshot at an IDF position when he was shot.

There were clashes with IDF troops near Rachel’s Tomb during his funeral Wednesday and the area around the tomb was closed to visitors.
Amarin was the fourth unarmed Palestinian killed this month in the West Bank by security forces. On Saturday, Uday Kamil Mohammed Darwish, 21, from a village near Hebron, was killed after trying to cut through the security fence in the settlement of Metzadot Yehuda ‏(Beit Yatir‏). On Tuesday, Samir Awad, 16, was killed near the village of Budrus.

Investigations have been opened into the latter two cases, in which it appears that soldiers opened fire in violation of established procedure.

The army is on a footing geared to deal with violent incidents in the West Bank, and GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon signed an order 10 days ago creating a new criminal offense in the West Bank for endangering an individual on a public road, an offense that already exists in Israeli law. It carries a 20-year jail term.

___________

Seven Palestinians Injured By Army Fire In Gaza

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

riday January 25 2013; Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that seven Palestinians have been injured by Israeli military fire in the northern part of the coastal region.

The sources said that soldiers, stationed on the Israeli side of the border, opened fire at dozens residents in two areas in northern Gaza.

The first attack took place east of the Al-Shuhada’ Graveyard, east of Jabalia.

Dr. Ashraf Al-Qodra, spokesperson of the Ministry Of Health In Gaza, reported that the five Palestinians suffered moderate injuries.

Two more farmers were in their lands east of Beit Hanoun, Dr. Al-Qodra added.

He said that the latest attacks are part of ongoing Israeli violations to the Egyptian-mediated truce that ended the eight-day war on Gaza last November, and added that four Palestinians have been killed since then and dozens have been injured.

Dr. Al-Qodra stated that the army also kidnapped at least 30 fishermen since the truce was reached, detonated and confiscated several fishing boats in Gaza territorial waters.

The cease fire ended an 8-day war in November of last year during which Israeli missiles and shells killed 191 Palestinians, including children, women and elderly, while at least 1492 Palestinians have been injured, dozens seriously.

The Information Center of the Palestinian Ministry of Health Information reported that 48 children, including 16 under the age of five, have been killed by Israeli missiles and shells, in addition to 12 women and 20 elderly.

The Center added that 1492 Palestinians, including 533 children (195 under the age of 5), 254 women and 103 elderly have been injured by Israeli fire and shells.

Furthermore, at least five Palestinians have been killed after the ceasefire agreement was reached, and 54 have been injured.

As part of the ceasefire agreement that ended the Israeli war on Gaza in November 2012, Palestinian fishermen were allowed to fish within 6 nautical miles off the Gaza coast. But the Israeli Navy continued to attack Palestinian fishermen leading to dozens of injuries.

Features