Offensive continues in Gaza; 917 killed, more than 4,260 wounded

Tuesday January 13, 2009 06:21 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli Army continued its offensive against the Gaza Strip for the seventeenth day on Monday, killing 26 Palestinians, including 23 civilians, and wounding dozens of residents. At least 917 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,260 injured since the Israelis initiated its initial air bombarbment on December 27th.  Of the dead, 283 are children.

Image by PCHR

On Monday evening, the Israeli Air Force shelled several areas in Gaza while the Army fired artillery shells. One medic was killed when the Israeli Army fired a missile at an ambulance rushing to rescue a number of residents who were wounded in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

The attack came shortly after a previous shelling that targeted a parked vehicle, near Al Khulafa' mosque, in the center of Jabalia refugee camp. One youth was in the vehicle and his body was severely mutilated. A Child was also killed as he was near the shelled vehicle.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), in Gaza, reported that the Israeli attacks on Monday led to the death of 26 Palestinians, including six children and three women.

23 of the 26 residents killed on Monday were unarmed civilians, the PCHR added.

The PCHR also reported that on Monday, at approximately 7pm, Israeli tanks shelled a home in al-Shijaeyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, and killed one resident identified as Wajeeh Moshtaha, age 24. When dozens of residents rushed to the shelled house in an attempt to rescue the survivors, the Israelis fired another shell, killing two brothers identified as Mohammad and Monthir Mahmoud Al Jondy, age 20 and age 30.

Earlier on Monday, a 15-year old girl, identified as Aayat Al Banna, was killed after the Israeli Army shelled a house near her parents' home in Jabalia.

Two more Palestinians were killed and at least 10 others were injured when the Israeli Air Force shelled The Palestine Square in the center of Gaza City.

Dr. Moawiya Hasanen, director of the Emergency Unit at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, said that three of the wounded residents suffered serious wounds as they lost parts of their bodies due to the blast.

Medical sources in Jabalia said that two Palestinians, including one child, were also killed in a separate Israeli shellings in Jabalia. Their bodies were moved to Kamal Adwan Hospital.

gaza strip | israeli attacks | news report saed at imemc dot org