Day 9 of Israeli War On Gaza

New Israeli weapons are used, death toll up, ground operation to start

By Sameh A. Habeeb, MMNS Gaza Correspondent

Death toll so far:  470 killed, 2600 injured, disastrous humanitarian situation

Gaza Strip–4, January, 2009–The Israeli army started the ground military operation. Many Palestinian civilians have been killed and the number of such people killed is rising dramatically. Meanwhile, a small number of Palestinian militants have been killed in the ongoing clashes through the Gaza Strip.

The operation started Saturday at 8pm accompanied by heavy coverage from artillery, naval gunboats and the air force.

In the north a group of tanks and soldiers advanced from the Ertiz crossing, and another group from Bait Lahia town near the old settlement of Doghit. 

In the east of Gaza City, several tanks advanced from the crossings of Al Muntar and Nahal Oz. Some of these troops advanced southeast of Gaza and cut the main street of Salaheldin. In the south, Israeli troops occupied the airport and set military outposts.

In the town of Bait Lahi, an air strike killed 17 people–most of them civilians and amongst them children and the medical staff of an ambulance. A number of injured were reported to be close to the area bombed, but medical vehicles were not able to reach them.

Condemnations from the EU, Turkey, Arab and foreign countries did not halt the Israeli military operation in the strip. Humanitarian and medical conditions are still dire. People are committed to their houses without water due to power cuts and the inability to operate key drinking water wells in Gaza.

Medicine students are being called to the local hospitals to deal with the always increasing number of victims. In opposition of the key Israeli target of killing hamas militants, most victims are actually civilians, and this is so obvious in the Gaza hospitals. Around 10 militants were killed today, and all the rest of those killed are normal people who have nothing to do with firing rockets and militants.

Deadly Outcomes of Israeli Ground Military Operation:

1- The Israeli Air forces struck a water well that provides fresh drinking water for thousands in Jabal Al Kashif, east of Gaza City.

2-An air raid bombarded a printing house in the Al Nasir area in the northwest of the Gaza Strip. Two Palestinians were killed and they are children, according to medical sources.

3-Extensive artillery bombardment has been performed on on some houses and farms near Jabal Al kashif northern Gaza Strip.

4-More than 30 shells fell on the Al Nusairat Refugee Camp, within 10 minutes. Many houses were damaged, and several people were wounded.

5-Four Palestinians were killed in Rafah City near the Egyptian border.

6-Israeli F16s bombed a house in the Al Janinai quarter in Rafah City, and many people wounded in the strike.

7-There has been a massive popular emigration into some schools in the Jabalia Camp. Heavy bombings taking place beside those refuges, causing panic among children and women.

8-A rocket hit a house in Al Shija’ya’s densly populated quarter, killing a child, a woman and an old man. Several people were injured,  all of them civilians.

9-An air strike bombed a house in the Al Zaytoun neighborhood.  A massive fire was set by the blast, burning some adjacent houses.

10-An entire house turned to rubble after an F16 rocket hit it in the Al Yarmok quarter in the middle of Gaza City.

11-An artillary shell destroyed the Al Yazji Bakery in the Al Zaytoun quarter–one was killed and dozens injured while buying bread to their families. The strike was followed by a fire that totally burned the bakery.

12-Israel uses phosphorous firing bombs against the Gaza Strip. Additionally, more new heavy weapons are being used for the first time.

13- Apache helicopters open heavy machine fire into group of civilians in al Zaytoun area. Many people were killed and others injured.

14-Five Palestinian militants were killed in the hottest conformation. Israel claims to have killed around 30 militants.

15-Hamas claims it killed 9 Israeli soldiers, injuring 28, and captured two soldiers. However, Israel says 3 of its soldiers were killed and 28 wounded.

16-Hamas says it she has destroyed many Israeli tanks and injured 9 Israeli soliders in the north of Gaza town of Bait Lahia.

17-Palestininian factions still fire homemade rockets into Israeli settlements despite the ground military operation.

18-Israeli tanks shelled Al Shayma’ buildings in the northern Gaza Strip.

19-There have been bombings in the main busy square of Gaza and near the Main market. Medical sources report that many people killed and injured. Massive damage in the buildings around.

20-Four Palestinian brothers from the Barbakh family killed when a shell hit their house in Kahn Yonis City.

21-F16s raided the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the middle of Gaza City. Many people were injured in that highly populated area.

22-Israel hit a group of innocent civilians sheltered in a school north of the Gaza Strip. Medical sources state that around 8 were killed.

23-News spread that Israel is asking hundreds of families to leave their houses in the Al Moghraqa area. This areas is near the borders where Israelis started the ground military operation south east of Gaza.

24- A woman was killed in the Al Zaytoun quarter by a rocket destroyed her house. Many people wounded in the strike.

25-Local Radios: A number of people were victims of an air strike near a mosque in the Al Zaytoun quarter.

26-Israel uses strange smoking bombs on the ground while deadly fighting is taking place across the Gaza strip.

27-Israeli tanks and armored vehicles occupied the sole Gaza airport in Rafah City. The airport was totally damaged before and bombed by tens of rockets and shells yesterday.

28-Israeli army bombed house of the Al Hilo family in eastern Gaza City.

29-Palestinian militants tried to shoot down an Israeli Apache.

30-A house belonging to the Dardona family was bombed in Jabalia. One woman was killed.

31-The Israeli air force targeted the city council of Om Al Nasir  town in Rafah City.*

32-Thousands of people are fleeing their houses in the middle of the Gaza Strip into the Al Nusairat Refugee Camp.*

33-The Shalat family was hit by an Israeli rocket and many people were wounded.*

34-Two children from the Al Mashrawi  family were killed in Israeli bombing of their home.

35- Two Palestinians were killed and many wounded when the Israeli Air force bombed the Salaheldin street between Khan Yonis and Rafah City.  The bombings caused great damage in electricity, water and infrastructure network services. Many people do not have water.

36-Israeli army shellsled the Om Al Nasir and Al Atatra families.

37-The air force raided the Al Omoor quarter near Rafah City.

38-Israeli Apaches heavily fired into the  Al Zaytoun area; many houses were affected.

39-An ambulance and medical officer was killed by an Israeli artliary shell north of Gaza Strip. His mate, Khaled Abu Sa’da was wounded.

40-Around 17 people were killed in the Al Atatra family in the Bait Lahia town north of Gaza. Amongest them were several children, two brothers, a 20-year-old and many old men who were all killed by one rocket. Israeli tanks prevented ambulances from reaching wounded people at the scene. Among the recognized victims; Osama Sliman, Mueen Abu Aljdya, Ahmed Abu Sltan, Hamaoda Abu Sultan,  Ali Al sous, Muhammad Al atar, Ahmed Tantish and one from the Al Shalfooh family.

41-Artillary shells targeted the Al Sorani farm in Gaza City, near Al Nafaq Street. A child was reported to have been wounded.

42-Fire exchange between Israeli soldiers and group of Palestinian militants.

43-The Israeli army cut Gaza City and the northern areas by occupying the old settlement of Nitsarim which was evacuated in 2005.

44- The Israeli army cut the transmission of Palestinian local radios and broadcast statements of warning asking civilians to leave their houses.

45-Medical sources reported that a Palestinian was killed north of Rafah City, and many were wounded.*

46-Five Palestinians from one family “Bakr” were killed west of Gaza City. The mother was killed along with her 4 children by an F16 rocket.

47-Three paramedics and ambulance staff were killed by an artillery shell and F16 rocket near the Shikh Ejlin area. The paramedics were in a mission of rescuing a family hit near Al Mahrosa hall. The family is still bleeding and no news is appearing regarding their current well-being.

48-A family of five members was hit by a missile while having dinner in the Al Shati’ Camp. The family members of Al Amodi are mostly in critical condition. A child aged 9 is in bad health conditions.

49-Medical sources in Al Shifa’ hospital say 50 people were wounded when their houses were bombed in the north of Gaza. Some of them are children and old men.

50-A strike made rubble of a house in Rafah Camp. A few people were wounded in nearby houses.

51-Five Palestinians were killed in a bombing targeted Mus’ab Bin Umair mosque in the northern Gaza Strip.

52-Three Palestinians wounded when an F16 missile hit their house in Absan town, south of Gaza in Khan Yonis City.

53-Many Palestinian houses are occupied by Israeli soldiers in the downtown area. Many explosions are taking place.

54-The second day of the ground offensive started with heavy presence of air force and the loud voices of artillery shells hitting some areas in the Gaza Strip.

55-Palestinian factions fired around 10 missiles into Israeli settlements and military bases.

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