A New Israeli Terrorist Onslaught On Gaza Leaves Eleven People Killed And Dozens Injured
GAZA, February 19, 2003, (IPC) - - At least 11 Palestinian citizens were slaughtered and more than 30 others wounded
late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, when large Israeli occupation forces backed by tens of tanks, Apache
helicopters and bulldozers invaded the Shijaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza, and Jabalia town, carrying out one of the
most terrorist Israeli attacks.
Palestinian medical sources reported 11 citizens were killed, including one paramedic, and more than 30 others injured,
some in critical condition.
Tens of tanks blockaded the neighborhood of Shijaiya and Jabalia town and began continuous shelling with shells
containing internationally prohibited fletchets and firing form heavy machineguns targeting the residents’ houses,
apache helicopters also participated in the wide onslaught, Palestinian security sources said.
Israeli tanks and helicopters participated in the firing of missiles on the Palestinian houses and stores, several
civilians were killed and injured, eyewitnesses told IP correspondent.
It was dangerous to attempt to rescue any of them because helicopters were firing at any moving object, including the
ambulances, eyewitnesses added.
“Israeli troops targeted ambulances and rescuers and they managed to kill one of our paramedics named Monzer Al-Safadi
and wounding his brother Dr. Raed Al-Safadi,” Dr. Abu Hassanin, director of emergency in Al-Shifa hospital said.
“Monzer and Raed were trying to evacuate three civilians who were stranded and bleeding under the rubble of a workshop
that was bombarded during the attack, east of Jabalia,” Dr. Hassanin added. He continued saying: “in the rescue attempt
Monzer was shot and killed, the three wounded bled to death and Dr. Raed was wounded in the abdomen.”
Three ambulances were damaged after being hit with Israeli shrapnel and heavy fire, witnesses and medical sources told
IPC correspondent.
“Beside the wounded citizens, dozens of civilians, mostly children and women, suffered shock and nervous breakdown,”
director of emergency said.
“We were sleeping when Israeli invasion began, the terrifying sound of explosions forced us to wake up and my children
were so afraid and began crying and weeping, they were holding to me thinking my body would protect them from the
Israeli rockets… I was afraid too,” eyewitness Fareed Hillis told IPC correspondent.
Palestinian resistance fighters stood up for the advancing Israeli invasion forces and attempted to confront the world’s
most advanced military tanks.
“It was very dark and cold, I was peeping from the window, and I saw a small number of freedom fighters attempting to
plant landmines and to restrict the movement of the tanks,”
“We are defending our city; we are fighting the Israeli occupation. They have huge tanks and Apache helicopters, hi tech
weapons and F16’s, while we have light weapons and locally made mines…, but we will not surrender.., we will fight till
liberation our land,” a masked freedom fighter told news reporters in Jabalia.
Several houses were damaged due to the intensive heavy fire and missiles, most of people who were wounded while they
were inside their homes because of the shrapnel of fletchets and 1000 mm bullets, Palestinian security sources said.
Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza identified the martyrs as: Ali Abu Alkhair, Iyad Abed, Abdelraheem Abu Naja, Mohammed Sahloot,
A’ala’ Hilo and his brother Saed, Munzir Safadi, Tamer Qatta’, Abdelkareem Bakroon, A’mer Al-Dayeh and Abdel Rahman
Al-Qassas.
While the whole world is focused on the “expected” US war on Iraq, the Israeli government is exploiting the current
situation to escalate its military offensive against the Palestinian people and leadership.
“From the beginning of the current month, 41 Palestinian civilians have been killed and 342 others have been injured
including 229 in West Bank and 43 in the Gaza Strip,” Palestinian Minister of Health announced Monday in a press
release.
Al-Shibi: “11 Palestinians killed And 50 Wound In 24 Hours By The Israeli Occupation Forces” -February 18, 2003