Israeli forces murder five Palestinian students
Israel on Thursday committed a new crime resulted in killing five Palestinian students and wounding two others. Three other Palestinians were killed by an Israeli tank shelling in Khan Younis.
The five students were killed on Thursday morning while heading to their school as an explosive went off in the way to their school near a camp in Gaza. The students who age between 6-14 year old were struck by a " suspected element" implanted by the Israeli army and their bodies scattered in pieces in vast area of the explosion.
Palestinian official and security sources said that there might be other students killed as a result of the said explosion.
Medical sources as the Palestinian Nasser hospital in Khan Younis said that four of the murdered Palestinian students are from one family. They are: Muhammad Na'em al-Astal 14 year old, his brother Akram 6 year old; Omar Idris al-Astal ( 14 year old) and his brother Anees ( 10 year old), besides the wounded child Ahmad Deeb al-Astal ( 10 year old) who is in a critical health condition.
The chairman of the liaison committee to the south of Gaza Col. Khaled Abu al-Ola said that the shelling which killed the children is from the remains of the Israeli daily bombardment of the Palestinian houses.
To this effect AFP described the state of repression and shock prevailed among the Palestinians as a result of this crime. The agency stressed that the remains of the five students mixed with their books, pens and school bags and shoes at the site of the incident.
The Palestinian authority held Israel responsible for the crime of assassinating the children and called on the international community to interfere for protecting the Palestinian people and children.
Meantime, a special Israeli military force broke into al-Azezareyah town to the east of occupied Jerusalem, and closed several headquarters for the Palestinian authority and the security forces.
An Israeli military spokesman said that a special force from the Israeli army carried out an instruction given by the mini Israeli cabinet in its recent meeting states to close all offices and establishments belong to the Palestinian authority in al- Ezareyah area under the pretext that these offices are used in illegal practices.
Moreover, the Israeli soldiers arrested 6 Palestinian students during an incursion operation in Beir Zeit by armored vehicles and arrested the said students who follow up their studies at Beir Zeit university under charges that they are members in the Islamic Jihad. An eye witness said he pictured the kidnapping operation by a video camera.
One Israeli soldier was wounded as an Israeli army position at the crossroad of the gathering of Ghoushe Katieve settlements in Gaza was thrown by stones and explosives by Palestinians.
Two Israeli workers were also wounded by bullet fires opened by the Palestinian youths Intifada at an israeli factory near Toulkarem.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlers closed several roads used by the Palestinians in the area situated to the east of Bethlehem and forced their drivers to return back from where they had come.