Israeli Troops Invade Hebron, Attack Other Towns

Israeli Troops Invade Hebron, Attack Other Towns

HEBRON, Palestine, July 13, 2004 (IPC + Agencies)-- Israeli occupying forces (IOF) invaded yesterday night the West Bank City of Hebron, storming its various neighborhoods with tanks and armored vehicles, while hundreds of Israeli soldiers were reportedly deployed in its streets.

At 8:00 pm yesterday night, hundreds of Israeli soldiers have been patrolling different streets in Hebron, breaking into a large number of houses, stores and shops, local sources and eyewitnesses confirmed.

The eyewitnesses further said that the breaking into houses was concentrated at the Ras Aljoura, Kizoun and the Haram Al-Ram neighborhoods as well as in the vicinity of the Transport Department. No more details were reported.

In the meantime, IOF stormed the Kufer Qadoum Village in the West Bank City of Qalqilia and began patrolling the area, IPC correspondent reported.

Eyewitnesses told IPC’s that the IOF were stationed in the middle of the village and began provoking the local inhabitants and arresting Mohammad Salim, 19, who works as a police officer.

Also, IOF launched late on yesterday night a large-scale search campaign among houses in the West Bank city of Albiera, WAFA News Agency reported.

An IOF contingent composed of six military jeeps, accompanied by a military van, swept into the city, then IOF soldiers began an arrest campaign by breaking into locals’ houses.

In the West Bank province of Nablus, IOF swept into the Deir Sharaf Town and the Balata refugee camp of Nablus City, leading to the arrest of two brothers of the Halawa family, IPC’s said.

The Israeli incursion into these areas was concentrated in the Balata camp, where a number of houses were occupied and turned into military outposts by the IOF soldiers, the IPC’s added.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF shelled early on Tuesday dawn the Faraheen neighborhood, east of Kahn Younis City, eyewitnesses reported.

The Israeli troops, stationed at the eastern borderline in Khan Younis, opened their heavy fire randomly at the nearby houses, causing the damage of some of them. No injuries were reported.

Concurrently, IOF beefed up presence in the eastern part of the southern Gaza Strip town of Al-Qarrara, occupying four houses owned by the citizens Yehya Al-Farra, Fawzi Al-Farra, Ala’ Al-Farra and Ayed Abu Haddaf, disallowing all those inside to get out, local sources said.

In the Gaza City, mainly at the coastal road which connects the northern and southern parts of the Strip, IOF, stationed around the illegitimate Israeli settlement of "Nitsarim", shot heavy live ammunition towards the Shaikh Ejleen Palestinian national security outpost. No causalities were reported.

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