Israeli invasion into southeastern Gaza kills 4, injures 8, destroys a home and ravages farmland

[Magda Hassan]

On 26 March, fighting erupted between Palestinian resistance and invading Israeli soldiers when IOF jeeps, tanks, and bulldozers invaded, supported by F-16s, Apache helicopters and unmanned drones from above.
Two Israeli soldiers were reported killed and 2 more injured. Medics with the Red Crescent report that three Palestinian resistance fighters were killed, along with 1 civilian, Haitam Arafat, 22 years old, shot on his land.
Eight more Palestinians were injured, according to Muawiyya Hassaniin, director of emergency services in Gaza. The injured include Osama Abu Dagga, a child of 6 years, shot in the head while in his home 2 km from the border. He is in critical condition.
While the invasion was underway, locals reported several F-16 Israeli warplanes, Apache helicopters, drones, roughly 20 tanks and 6 bulldozers.
During the Israeli invasion, Palestinian ambulances were unable to reach the injured, delayed and unable to attain coordination from Israeli authorities to retrieve the injured, although international law obligates Israel to accord this permission.
Long after the fighting between the resistance and invading Israeli soldiers, 3 Israeli bulldozers destroyed the home of Hashem Abu Daggma and surrounding farmland, all well over 500 metres from the border.



“They came around 11 pm and stayed until 3 am,” accompanied by tanks and aerial reinforcement, said a cousin of Abu Daggma’s, one of 15 living in the home until yesterday.
“I have no idea why they destroyed the home. It’s the third time they’ve attacked the house. Eight months ago they destroyed the outer side walls. Five months ago they destroyed the back wall. And this time they finished the job,” he said.
Abdel Aziz and Ibrahim Egdiah own 1.5 dunams next to the Abu Daggma home.


“We had parsley, radishes, olive and palm trees. Some of our trees were over 25 years old,” said Ibrahim Egdiah.
“Twelve people depend on this land,” he said, throwing aside a mangled olive branch. “Mish haram?” Isn’t this shameful?
Jaber Abu Rjila, a resident of Faraheen in the greater Abassan area, watched the Israeli invasion from a rooftop in the village a kilometre away.
“There were up to 20 tanks at the height of the invasions. The F-16, Apaches, drones and tanks were firing rockets, missiles and machine gun fire. I really felt that they might come into Faraheen again.”
Rjila’s house and chicken farm, 500 metres from the border, was ravaged in May 2008, his chicken barn destroyed, all but a percentage of the birds, farm equipment, and crops.
Rjila and other farmers in the border regions are constantly subject to Israeli soldier gunfire from border jeeps and towers.
“Many people are worried that Israel might come back and do something worse,” said Rjila.






http://ingaza.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/i...-farmland/

[Magda Hassan]

Israeli tanks roll into Gaza
Big News Network.com Saturday 27th March, 2010


Israeli tanks and bulldozers rolled into Gaza Friday while navy ships began firing along the Gaza coast.

Tension has been high all week following the deaths of four Palestinian youths. The youths were accused by the Israeli army of throwing stones at them.

The tension reached breaking point on Friday afternoon when militants clashed with Israeli army soldiers resulting in a gun battle which left two Israeli soldiers and two militants dead. Two other Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously. The Israeli army confirmed it had entered Gaza and clashed with militants. One of its soldiers killed was the deputy commander of his regiment. The other was in the reserves.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Hamas would be held responsible. He repeatedly blamed Hamas although in an extraordinary admission he conceded Hamas had been trying to calm things down and rein in other military groups.

"We have been used to seeing breakaway Palestinian groups doing the firing, and Hamas trying to calm things down. Possibly it is loosening its grip, for all sorts of reasons," the defense minister told Israel's Channel 2 television.

"Should that indeed prove to be the case, then there will also be ramifications for Hamas," Barak said.

A Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida told Reuters the clash involved members of the al-Qassam Brigades, the miltant wing of the group, but insisted the men fired in self-defense.

The five Israeli tanks and two bulldozers withdrew from Gaza on Saturday afternoon.

The Israeli soldiers deaths' are the first since the end of Operation Cast Lead in January last year. The soldiers killed were identified as Major Eliraz Peretz, 31, of Eli, deputy commander of the Golani Brigade's Battalion 12, and Staff Sergeant Ilan Sviatkovsky of Rishon Lezion.

One of the two wounded soldiers was in intensive care Saturday on life support.

Another Israeli soldier was killed on Monday, as a result of friendly fire. A member of an Israeli tank crew stopped three Palestinians who were unarmed and looking for work. A second Israeli patrol happened on the scene and opened fire on the Palestinians not knowing an Israeli soldier was among them. The soldier was killed instantly. The Israeli army told the BBC it is investigating the incident.