- 11 juli 2011
Medics: Palestinian shot at Hebron checkpoint
HEBRON (Ma’an) -- Israeli soldiers shot and injured a young Palestinian man Monday in the occupied West Bank, medics said.
Bassam Abdel Hamid Nofal sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg while crossing a checkpoint in the Hebron area, Red Crescent officials said. Medics at Al-Ahli Hospital described his injuries as moderate.
Medics said Nofal was on his way to work in Jerusalem when troops at Daharia checkpoint opened fire.
An Israeli border police spokesman said no such incident had been reported.
No clashes were reported before or after medics reported the incident.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=404299
30 oct 2012, 11:36 , Respect -
Maria 11 juli 2011
IOF soldiers storm Jerusalem village sparking confrontations
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed the Aisawiye village in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday evening triggering confrontations with its inhabitants.
Local sources said that the IOF troops used tear gas to disperse the inhabitants who threw stones and empty bottles at them. Many citizens were treated for breathing difficulty, they said, adding that plain clothed Israeli security men took part in quelling the citizens.
Meanwhile, other IOF units broke into and ransacked Baddo club to the north west of occupied Jerusalem, the club’s administration reported, adding that the soldiers broke the doors and belongings of the club.
It said that the soldiers confiscated a number of computers in addition to files and documents, adding that it was not the first time that the soldiers wreak havoc in the sportive club that only contained sports equipment and photos of martyrs.
http://fwd4.me/06Ig
30 oct 2012, 11:36 , Respect -
Maria 11 juli 2011
Another Car run down: Settler runs down 6 year old boy, others vandalize farmlands in tense West Bank
BETHLEHEM, (PIC)– A Jewish settler ran down and seriously injured a 6-year-old Palestinian boy on Sunday south of Bethlehem, while other settlers vandalized farmland in Safa village near Beit Ummar in northern Al-Khalil province on Sunday.
The boy, Ismail Shahein, was transported to Haddasa hospital to be treated for serious injuries after being hit by the settler’s car in Beit Sakarya in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, Hassan Zawahira, a local resistance committee head, reported.
In Al-Khalil province, a gang of Jewish settlers reportedly opened fire at Palestinian farmers and burned down fruit trees and cut down vineyards.
Israeli troops intervened with tear gas and rubber bullets after local Palestinian youths responded to the attack with stones.
The force arrested two of the youths in the aftermath of the scuffle.
Locals say the attack came as a prelude to the confiscation of hundreds of dunums of land paving the way for the construction of a section of the apartheid wall in the area, as has happened repeatedly.
30 oct 2012, 11:36 , Respect -
Maria 30 oct 2012, 11:36 , Respect -
Maria 30 oct 2012, 14:15 , Respect -
Maria 13 juli 2011
IOF soldiers shoot university student, leave him bleed to death
NABLUS, (PIC)-- A 19-year-old Palestinian university student was killed at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) which stormed Fara’a refugee camp north of Nablus in a pre dawn raid on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter in Nablus that the IOF soldiers in 11 armored vehicles stormed the camp at 0300 am and one of them fired at Ibrahim Sarhan while on his way to offer dawn prayers.
The shot hit a main artery in his right thigh, the witnesses said, adding that Sarhan tried to reach a nearby house but the soldiers dragged him away and prevented anyone from extending help to him even the ambulance crews and left him bleed to death.
Violent confrontation then took place between citizens and the IOF soldiers, who broke into many homes and destroyed belongings and arrested a number of citizens then released some of them and retained two in custody, the witnesses said.
http://fwd4.me/06V1
Israeli army kills man in Nablus, hits Gaza targets
Relatives mourned the death of Ibrahim Sarhan at the Rafidiya Hospital in Nablus
A Palestinian man has been killed in an Israeli military raid on a West Bank refugee camp.
The Israeli military said troops fired at a man who tried to evade arrest in the el-Fara camp north of Nablus.
But a witness said residents had thrown stones at the troops, who responded with live fire, killing 21-year-old university student Ibrahim Sarhan.
In Gaza, Israeli aircraft struck two suspected weapons factories overnight, injuring a Palestinian woman.
The air strikes also damaged the main water pipe in an eastern neighbourhood of Gaza City, cutting water to a large part of the city, said Gaza's emergency services spokesman Adham Abu Selmiya.
Israel's military said the air strikes came in retaliation for rockets fired from Gaza into Israel on Tuesday.
Another rocket hit southern Israel on Wednesday morning, Israel's military said, but no-one was hurt in the attacks.
'Bled to death'
Omar Sarhan said his son was shot after attending morning prayers in a local mosque, and bled to death because no ambulance was allowed to attend to him.
The 21-year-old had been shot twice, once in each thigh, and was dead by the time he reached hospital, Palestinian medics said.
Israel's military said the dawn raid was part of "routine activity" at the refugee camp.
"One of the Palestinians tried to flee arrest, at which point the soldiers began an arrest procedure, eventually firing at his lower body," a spokeswoman told the AFP news agency.
Seven Palestinians were arrested during the raid, the spokeswoman said, adding that an explosive device was hurled at Israeli troops during the operation. No soldiers were injured.
The Israeli army often carries out raids in Palestinian town and cities, some of which are coordinated with Palestinian police, says the BBC's Jon Donnison from Ramallah.
The West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14134711
Israeli occupation night raid on Nabi Saleh Village
(1:35) Israeli occupation night raid on Nabi Saleh Village - 13 /7/ 2011
Hundreds attend funeral for slain Hamas member
NABLUS (Ma'an) -- Around 800 people attended the funeral for Hamas member Ibrahim Sarhan, 21, who was killed Wednesday during a raid on a northern West Bank refugee camp.
Many waved the green flags of Hamas and chanted slogans as Sarhan was buried at the Al-Farah camp cemetery.
Hamas accused the Israeli military of deliberately delaying Sarhan's evacuation by ambulance after he was shot during a search operation and called on its supporters to join his funeral march.
"The Israeli army arrested Sarhan after wounding him ... detained him inside a home in the camp while he was bleeding and intentionally delayed handing him over to the Palestinian ambulance," the party said.
A Ma'an correspondent said Sarhan sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh during the operation and subsequently bled to death. He was pronounced dead at Rafidia Hospital early Wednesday.
Red Crescent official Adnan Al-Ghunaimi said "a long time" passed until medics were allowed access. The Israeli military says Sarhan was given initial treatment from an army medic.
Army officials have said an explosive device was hurled at troops who were in the area with the intention to arrest Sarhan and others. No soldiers were reported injured.
The soldiers first warned him verbally to surrender but opened fire because he refused, she said. "The soldiers followed standard procedure and fired at his lower body," the official told Ma'an.
It was not clear why the army intended to arrest Sarhan and seven others.
Palestinian officials said only three residents of the camp were arrested.
They were identified as Hakam Jamil, 27, Samir Al-Khatib, 22, and Mohammad Hassan Abu Al-Jawwad, 21. Ahmad Nashaat Abu Al-Hassan, 17, sustained bruises after being beaten by the soldiers.
Sarhan was close to graduating from the faculty of engineering at An-Najah University, where he supported the Islamic bloc in student senate elections, the Hamas party announced.
The killing was the first time in six months that Israeli troops have shot dead a Palestinian in the West Bank. The military said it could not confirm whether there would be an investigation into the incident.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=404719
Hamas mourns student killed in Nablus raid
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- A young Palestinian man killed Wednesday in an Israeli raid near Nablus supported the pro-Hamas student bloc at his university in the northern West Bank city, the party said.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=404895
30 oct 2012, 14:15 , Respect -
Maria 13 juli 2011
Two Israeli air raids on Gaza wound woman, destroy foundry
GAZA, (PIC)-- Israeli occupation forces (IOF) launched two air raids on a foundry to the east of Gaza city at dawn Wednesday completely destroying it and wounding a Palestinian woman, local sources said.
The sources told the PIC reporter that Israeli F-16s fired a missile at the foundry in Tufah suburb east of Gaza city damaging it along with nearby houses in addition to a main water pipeline which cut water supplies to the inhabitants in the neighborhood.
Adham Abu Salmiya, the medical services spokesman, said that a Palestinian woman was injured in the raid and taken to Shifa hospital.
The warplanes returned two hours later and targeted the same foundry causing more destruction in the area, the witnesses reported.
The IOF recently escalated aggression on the Gaza Strip including air raids and incursions on its eastern and northern borders.
http://fwd4.me/06VM
Woman moderately injured in Israeli airstrike
GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- A Palestinian woman was moderately injured in an Israeli airstrike early Wednesday in the Gaza Strip, hours after the Israeli army said a projectile attack caused property damage.
Israel's air forces fired on a car-repair workshop on Yaffa Street in northeast Gaza City as well as two targets in northern Gaza.
An army spokesman said the targets were hit successfully, and all planes returned safely to their bases.
Two homemade projectiles landed in the Shaar Hanegev area in the western Negev desert, Israeli security officials said. One of the projectiles caused damage to a home but no injuries were reported.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=404746
Medics: Airstrike injures woman in eastern Gaza
GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- A Palestinian woman was injured in an Israeli airstrike on eastern Gaza early Wednesday, medics said, hours after the army said projectile fire damaged property in southern Israel.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=404730
30 oct 2012, 14:15 , Respect -
Maria 13 juli 2011
CPS Gaza crew attacked by Israeli warship
(0:51) Israeli Navy Attack On CPSGaza boat "Olivia" and Gaza Fishermen .
The CPS Gaza human rights monitoring boat was attacked by Israeli warships with water cannons earlier today.
The initial attack happened at 12.05pm local time. There were four people aboard the Oliva boat at the time, two CPS Gaza crew members (from the UK and Sweden), the captain and a journalist. One crew member explained:
“We were fewer than two miles away from the Gaza coast when they fired at us. We saw them firing water at some fishing boats so we headed to the area. When we got close, the warships left the fishing boats, and turned on us. They attacked us for about ten minutes, following us as we tried to head to shore and eventually lagged when we reached about one mile off the Gaza coast.”
CPS Gaza has video footage of the attack and will be releasing it shortly. Any updates will be posted here.
A fishing boat was also fired at and damaged with live rounds. Currently Israel claims to allow fishing boats to work within three miles off the coast of Gaza, but they are frequently attacked whilst fishing within the three mile limit.
Media enquiries only: 0595629228
http://fwd4.me/06VG 30 oct 2012, 14:15 , Respect -
Maria 13 juli 2011
Israeli forces storm Aisawiye in eastern Jerusalem, injure civilians
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Israeli occupation police stormed the Aisawiye village in occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday afternoon and fired tear gas and stun grenades at inhabitants, local sources said.
They said that youngsters in the village threw stones and empty bottles at the police forces smashing the window shield of one of the police cars.
A number of citizens were injured in the confrontations as a result of the use of extensive teargas canisters and stun grenades.
http://fwd4.me/06Xd
Israeli minister asks his government to assassinate Hamas leaders
NAZARETH, (PIC)-- Israeli minister of infrastructure Uzi Landau has urged his government to reactivate the policy of “targeted killing” and assassination of Hamas leaders.
He said in a press statement on Wednesday that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu should adopt a root change in its policy in dealing with the Gaza Strip and should adopt the policy of liquidating Hamas leaders.
Landau said that Israel should make it clear to Hamas leaders mainly that they would personally pay the price for the resumption of rocket firing at Israeli targets from the Strip.
http://fwd4.me/06Wv 30 oct 2012, 14:15 , Respect -
Maria 30 oct 2012, 14:15 , Respect -
Maria 14 juli 2011
Two children were wounded by Israeli air strikes on Gaza
Al Qassam website- Besieged Gaza- Six Palestinian civilians were injured in Israeli air force attacks on Gaza Strip Thursday at night, July 14th ,2011, two children reported among the injuries.
Israeli occupation fighter jets struck on Thursday at night several areas across the Gaza Strip, one air strike targeted the Gaza food tunnels in Rafah city near the Egyptian borders.
Another air strike targeted Saladin Brigades' site in Khan Younis city south of Gaza Strip, special sources in the Brigades said that the Israeli air strike aimed at assassinating Saladin Brigades' top commander, Zakaria Doghmush and some other commanders of the brigades.
The sources reported that the top commander of the brigades Zakaria Doghmush and some other leaders were survived the assassination attempt.
The military wing, Saladin Brigades released a press statement directly after the failure assassination attempt, praising the almighty Allah for saving its blessed leadership, and asserted on continuing the path of resistance and Jihad against the Israeli occupation.
The brigades said that the Israeli enemy opened the doors of conflict against the resistance and that he will never be able to close his own doors because the choice is only in the hand of the Palestinian resistance.
In addition, three Qassam sites were targeted by the Israeli air strikes.
Adham Abu Silmiya the spokesman of the higher committee for ambulance and emergency services said that two children were wounded in Israeli air strike targeted an open area near al Maqusi towers in Gaza city, while four citizens were wounded near the freed settlement of Netsarim.
He added that the two children were taken to al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, while the other four citizens were taken to Al Aqsa Hospital in Central Gaza Strip.
http://fwd4.me/06fS
Four civilians, including two children injured by a series of violent raids launched by Israeli aircraft on multiple targets in the Gaza Strip.
Rough Translation from http://www.safa.ps/ara/?action=showdetail&seid=54583
Four civilians, including two children injured by a series of violent raids launched by Israeli aircraft on multiple targets in the Gaza Strip.
According to a spokesman for the ambulance and emergency Adham Abu peaceful said that the Israeli raids resulted in the injury of two children and two young men in Maqusi editor of Netzarim.
He explained that the children were taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for treatment of minor injuries, while the two young men were sent to 'al-Aqsa Martyrs' hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The raids targeted three sites belonging to the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam in each of the editor 'Netzarim' south of Gaza City, and the second in the Shati refugee camp, and the third in the vicinity of towers Maqusi North West of Gaza City.
Targeted Israeli warplanes raided other locations due to the Nasser Salah al-Din al-Amal neighborhood in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.
Survival of the battalion commanders
A security source said a special for (description) that a meeting of leaders of a number of Salah al-Din Brigades - the military wing of the Popular Resistance Movement - including the Secretary-General Zakaria Dughmush adjourned before the bombing Site about five minutes.
Later, confirmed al-Nasir Salah al-Din arrived in a statement (description) a copy of it at dawn on Friday that Israeli warplanes bombed the site after field commanders left.
And military and high-level organizational movement within the site less than ten minutes before.
The statement added, 'We are in the Saladin Brigades, first thank God on the survival of this group of leaders to assure the continuation of the movement and the Popular Resistance Brigades, the military arm, Al-Nasser Salah al-Din.
The choice of resistance and jihad.
Battalions confirm that the occupation and escalation, are opening the doors of a new conflict against the resistance, but they will not be able to close its doors, because the only option is resistance.
http://fwd4.me/06eX
Israeli air strike injures 5 at Rafah border
RAFAH (Ma’an) -- Five Gazans were injured Thursday and a sixth is reported missing after an Israeli warplane attacked a tunnel at the Egyptian-Palestinian border near Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
The attack took place at dawn, local witness said.
The Civil defense reported that five Gaza residents were transferred to the Abu Yousef Al-Najjar hospital and they are searching for the sixth man.
Israeli planes were reportedly targeting the transfer of cement and building materials into the Gaza Strip.
An Israeli army spokeswomen said that the attack was in response to "the firing of rockets at residents in southern Israel" and terrorist activity at the Rafah border.
It is understood that the tunnel was destroyed in the attack.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=405081
medical sources confirmed two children slightly injured
Israeli warplanes have launched several night raids on different parts of the Gaza Strip, where planes bombed a site due to the PRC in the western provinces of the city of Khan Younis, and bombed the site's Badr al-Qassam,the central Gaza Strip.
The raids targeted the Israeli warplanes last site of Shati refugee camp, in addition to the bombing site, "Abu Yasser," continued the Qassam Maqusi in the north-west of Gaza City .
And medical sources confirmed in the Gaza Strip, wounding two children slightly injured by the occupation of the target site next to the Abu Yasir al-Maqqousi.
According to our correspondent that the southern sector of ambulances rushed to the place of the bombing.
It should be noted that Israeli warplanes flying heavily in the meantime in different areas of the Gaza Strip.
http://fwd4.me/06do
AlqassamBrigade
Palestinian medical sources in Gaza reported that six citizens, including two children were wounded in the Israeli air strikes on Gaza.
TWITTER
AlqassamBrigade
Breaking News: Israeli occupation fighter jets strike Gaza food tunnels, massive destruction seen in the area, no injuries till the moment.
GazaYBO Gaza Youth Break Out
Breaking : 2 children were injured in the last explosion. Shit
AlqassamBrigade
Israeli occupation F-16 fighter jets strike open areas in west and south of Gaza strip, four Palestinians injured including two children.
Witnesses: Airstrikes across Gaza Strip
GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli warplanes raided the southern Gaza Strip late Thursday, targeting sites belonging to Hamas near Khan Younis and west of Gaza City, witnesses said. No injuries were reported.
There were no reports of injury.
An Israeli army spokeswoman had no immediate comment.
Update: An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the strikes but did not elaborate.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=405363
TWITTER
majds
BREAKING: Israeli f16 warplanes in sky of Gaza. Palestine
BREAKING: Israeli air strike targeting Nuseirat, and Israeli F16 warplanes still in sky of Gaza. Palestine
BREAKING: New Israeli air strike targeting Khan Younis Gaza. Palestine
livefromgaza
that was a big bang, Gaza Palestine
GazaYBO Gaza Youth Break Out
Breaking : Huge explosion heard all over Gaza now
livefromgaza
a local radio is reporting that a site for resistance was the target of the raid.
NalanSarraj
gaza under attack Now !
Amal_mj HopeinGaza
a series of F16s strikes is heard! Gaza
Solarah Samah Saleh
explosions!!!!!! wanted to sleep well before my 22nd birthday but Israel is not approving!!!!! massive explosions near by woke me up Gaza
yelkhoudary Yasmeen El Khoudary
huge f-16 explosions
livefromgaza
F-16s I'm sleepy, so are u going to wake us up or the show is over for tonight?!
NalanSarraj
So gaza is under attack. All the strip heard the bomb! And i don't understand whats the point of attacking us anymore !
majds
Gunfire heard in Bethlehem, unknown source and target. Palestine
GazaYBO Gaza Youth Break Out
The area attacked is a Hammas traing campus and so far no talks about injuries. Gaza
OhMyGaza
I can't believe I live in a world that doesn't give a damn
LSal92 Leila
Breaking: Huge bangs heard across the strip, Nuseirat & Khan Younis believed to be hit.
georgehale
Israeli warplanes open fire on sites belonging to Hamas armed wing, 2 in the south and another west of Gaza City
NalanSarraj
Why is it acceptable for isreal to attack me ! But its not acceptable for me to defend myself and for my life ! 30 oct 2012, 14:15 , Respect -
Maria 14 juli 2011
Escalation of Attacks by the Israeli Navy on the CPS Gaza Boat
Today the CPS Gaza boat, the Oliva was attacked for the second time by the Israeli Navy, this incident was worse than the preceding one. It seems now that the danger level of the project has heightened. Since nothing new has happened with the flotilla has happened in over a week, they’ve turned their attention to us. They do not want the Oliva out at sea anymore and they’re making this very clear. The Oliva will continue to sail in spite of these new risks but expecting that each mission following this one will be the same if not worse.
ISMer Joe Catron, the Palestinian captain of the Oliva, Captain Salah and I were on the boat today. When we left the port we had about 25 hasakas sailing out with us and about 5 troller boats (the larger Palestinian fishing boats). We first went out directly with a troller that had been shot at yesterday. They were forced to leave their net at sea so we sailed out with them so they could retrieve it. We were within the 3-mile limit when we saw 2 Israeli warships in the distance, already firing the same water canons that they attacked the Oliva with yesterday. They both turned toward us and quickly drove over. They started by pacing back and forth and shooting their canons from about 20 meters away.
At this point I was filming them, some of the soldiers waved. They picked up their pace and started circling us and firing more water from a closer distance. There was a lot of turbulence at sea and it felt as though they were trying to capsize our boat. Joe and I were initially joking that it would be funny if they were to have to rescue us. I presumed that if their goal was for us to be stranded in the water, it would either be for them leave us having destroyed the Oliva or an excuse arrest us after retrieving us from the ocean.
They continued to blast the painful streams of water at us. At this point I was still sitting in the boat filming but the force of the water became too strong and I had to turn my back to them. It seemed that their violence might escalate and Joe and Captain Salah pulled me down to the bottom of the boat near the bow to take cover. At this point one of the warships was shooting water at about 10 meters distance from us. The force of the water was so strong that it cracked the floor of the boat and it sounded as if live ammunition was being fired at us. A Palestinian fisherman boarded the Oliva and a hasaka came over and insisted that we get on board. We abandoned ship and the fisherman who had boarded the Oliva to take it back to the port. Unfortunately, at some point, the camera that I had been holding with its strap around my wrist was lost and left behind.
Boarding the hasaka was potentially dangerous because it meant abandoning the “white-colored, peaceful, 3rd-party international boat,” however the Israeli Navy didn’t seem too concerned with our status as unarmed peaceful international observers (Civil Peace Service Gaza) while they were trying to sink us, and they were in fact trying to sink us. Captain Salah speaks some Hebrew and heard them saying to “put the boat under.” The hasaka took us over to the troller that we had initially followed out to sea. The navy continued to harass the troller and us for nearly an hour, circling it, shooting it with water canons and verbally harassing the fishermen saying “Ayn al-samaki ayn al-samaki” or “Where are the fish? Where are the fish?”
I’m not sure if they expected that these people would have anything other than fish on their boat but of course they didn’t have many fish to show for their efforts since the Israelis were preventing them from catching any. It was like a sick form of teasing and torture. Captain Salah heard them saying to “Put the water again…again…again.” Salah told me to tell them (shout over to them) that Joe and I were American and would be going back to port with the troller if they would just stop hitting us with water. I tried this but it was in vain, they continued to hit the boat and circle it, luckily this boat was bigger than the Oliva and was better able to withstand the blows. Seeing these fishermen up close, including 2 small boys and a young girl and knowing that this is their life, every day, made me furious.
I was so angry I wanted to cry but all I could do was shout in anger. We continued to circle around the bow where the steering cabin is located, trying to avoid the strikes from the water canons. Several times I saw a different, unmanned canon that presumable shoots live ammunition moving around as though it were going to aim at us. I also saw one soldier pointing his gun at me, with another tapping him on the shoulder and giving him directions. It looked as though they were aiming to shoot. I kept alternating between flashing peace signs and putting my hands in the air to show them that I was unarmed, hoping they wouldn’t shoot. At one point we heard what sounded like bullets hitting the rear of the boat.
I wasn’t sure if they understood that we were American so I reiterated it, shouting to them from the troller to let us go back to the port with them and that we were Americans. Usually I’m reluctant to pull the “I’m American” card but I think in cases like this, that’s kind the point. After this they responded to the troller “Leave and if we see you here again we will shoot you and the children and the Europeans or Americans.” After this they left. The hasaka move faster than the trollers so we boarded another one that took us back to the port. I didn’t get to see if there was any damage from bullets or live ammunition on the rear of the troller boat because we didn’t stay together when we went back.
The Oliva was waiting for us back at the port, there wasn’t any bullet damage to the Oliva but the camera was missing and there are CPS Gaza members currently looking for it at the port. We will be holding a press conference tonight at 6pm and we will be going back out Saturday, unarmed of course but with press either on board or on a separate boat that will accompany us.
The Israeli Navy is ugly. This was a display of their idea of “showing us mercy.” Such behavior and threats towards unarmed international obsersavers clearly demonstrates the attempts to hide the ongoing crimes of an illegal blockade.
I have notes from yesterday about the tunnels that I plan to turn into a post/freelance story for a few publications but needless to say that has been put on hold. Stay posted.
http://againstempire.wordpress.com/
Israeli navy attacks international boat in Gaza
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli naval forces attacked an international third party monitor on Wednesday in Gazan territorial waters.
Civil Peace Service Gaza works as part of a non-violent initiative to monitor human rights abuses in Gaza.
Israeli forces fired at the CPS Gaza monitoring boat, the Oliva, with water cannons on Wednesday at 12.05 p.m local time, a statement by the organization said.
There were four people aboard at the time, two CPS Gaza members, the captain and a journalist.
"We were fewer than two miles away from the Gaza coast when they fired at us. We saw them firing water at some fishing boats so we headed to the area. When we got close, the warships left the fishing boats, and turned on us.
"They attacked us for about ten minutes, following us as we tried to head to shore and eventually lagged when we reached about one mile off the Gaza coast," British human rights worker Ruqaya Al-Samarrai said.
A fishing boat was also fired at and damaged with live rounds.
An Israeli army spokesman said he was unaware of the incident.
The Gazan fishing community is often similarly targeted and the fishing limit is enforced with comparable aggression, with boats shot at or rammed as near as 2 nautical miles to the coast by Israeli gunboats, CBS Gaza added.
A marine blockade imposed by Israel restricts Gazan fisherman from accessing eighty five percent of Gaza's fishing waters as agreed upon under the Oslo agreements.
Following the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006 the Israeli navy imposed a complete sea blockade on the Gaza Strip for several months.
After Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007, Israel limited fishing access to 3 nautical miles from the coast.
During the Oslo accords negotiators had agreed upon 20 nautical miles of fishing access along Gaza's coastline.
Rights groups have condemned the blockade of Gaza as a form of collective punishment of the 1.6 million residents.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=405092