IMEMC - Thursday, 23 February 2006, 15:29
   
After a 17 year old boy was shot and killed early Thursday morning, Israeli forces continued their assault on the crowded neighborhoods of Balata refugee camp, killing four more Palestinians and injuring dozens more during the day on Thursday.

The five Palestinians killed Thursday have doubled the death toll of the five-day attack on the city of Nablus and Balata refugee camp.

Those killed Thursday have been identified by medical sources as 17 year old Ibrahim Mohammad Ali Saidi, who died of gunshot wounds in his stomach; 24 year old Naim Abu Saris, who died of gunshot wounds in various parts of his body; 32 year old Hamouda Shawi, who died of gunshot wounds; 34 year old Mohammad Khamis Amar, who also died of gunshot wounds; and Abu Ali Smari, 20 years old -- also died of gunshot wounds.



Among the more seriously injured in the melee are 18 year old Mu'atesem Saqif Al Hayt, hospitalized with bullets in his left leg, and a 24 year old man, Wisam Juma', critically injured with a bullet wound in his face.

Israeli forces have been firing randomly into crowded residential neighborhoods in the impoverished camp, say eyewitnesses & nbsp; The soldiers have been opening fire on ambulances and journalists attempting to work inside the camp. Among the injured is a cameraman from Nablus TV, Zaid Mashak.

update from:

Two killed, including a child, in Israeli re-invasion of Balata Refugee Camp
2006-02-23 12:29:23



Thursday morning, Israeli forces killed 17 year old Ibrahim Mohammad Ali Saidi and Naim Abu Sariis, 24, in Balata Camp & critically injured 24 year old Wisam Juma' and Fereh Kuaa, a 63 year old taxi driver, in the fifth straight day of invasions of the Camp, located in Nablus, in the northern part of the West Bank.

Israeli forces backed by bulldozers, military jeeps and armored personal carriers invaded the city of Nablus and Balata refugee camp  in the early morning hours, while Apache helicopters continue to circle overhead, Maan News Agency reported.
 


After a four day invasion which killed five Palestinians and injured dozens, Israeli forces withdrew for just part of one day on Wednesday.
 
Ibrahim Mohammad Ali Saidi, 17, was killed when Israeli soldiers randomly shot in the camp's Dahaia neighborhood.
 
At least 50 Israeli military vehicles backed by bulldozers reinvaded Nablus just after midnight, and closed Al Quds Street in the south and Al Maslekh, east of the city with roadblocks.
 
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces broke into several houses and buildings in the Al Dahia neighborhood, converting them into military installations. One of the houses searched is the home of Jamal Al Jeremy.



Early Thursday morning several armed resistance groups shot back at the Israeli soldiers and vehicles.  Israeli forces used teargas to disperse the fighters and continued the invasion. In that exchange no injuries were reported.
 
Israeli forces have been in Balata Refugee Camp Since Sunday, except for withdrawing for part of Wednesday.

And now, Thursday morning after a half day and night break, Israeli forces are back inside the camp, and several homes have once again been turned into Israeli military installations, as the attack on the refugee camp continues.


 
OTHER REPORTS:

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel Reports on Balata Camp

2006-02-23 | Physicians for Human Rights-Israel

Condemnation of Attacks on Medical Teams in Balata Camp [23 February 2006 16:30]



The Israeli army injured three Palestinian medical workers in Balata Refugee Camp today. The Israeli army has been waging an incursion into the camp since Sunday this week.

* The three medical workers were injured when the Israeli soldiers fired indiscriminately following a large blast that was heard.

* Two of the injured Palestinian medical workers are from the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, a close partner of Physicians for Human Rights-Israel for the past 17 years. Due to army interference their evacuation lasted for over half an hour. Only after intense negotiations were they able to be cleared from the scene.



* The third injured Palestinian medical worker, from a local Palestinian medical organization, was removed from the ambulance that was going to transport him to the hospital by Israeli soldiers who took him to Hawara Checkpoint.

* Reports from the camp also indicate that medical workers were placed between stone throwers and the Israeli soldiers in what seems to be a use of the “human shield” tactic. PHR-Israel was amongst other organizations that petitioned the Israeli High Court against the use of this illegal tactic.

Freedom of movement is severely inhibited and the medical teams are having difficulty functioning and performing their duties. Currently, four ambulances are trapped inside. Over the week, other incidents have been reported of violations of the freedom of movement, including of ambulances and medical workers.



General Information: Five Palestinians, two of them apparently civilians, were killed today. About 20 Palestinians were injured today- most of them between the ages of 12 and 22. The Israeli army has reported that two of its soldiers have been injured. Since the start of the incursion eight Palestinians have been killed and over 70 injured. One person is in a state of clinical death and was transferred to Mokassed Hospital today.

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel strongly condemns this attack on medical personnel as a flagrant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention which clearly stipulates the neutrality of medical teams and workers. Physicians for Human Rights-Israel will demand that the Israeli Investigative Military Police open an investigation into the cases. Physicians for Human Rights-Israel wishes to express its solidarity with the Palestinian medical professionals working in the camp.



Physicians for Human Rights-Israel continues to maintain contact with the medical professionals in the field and is being updated as to the latest events.

For more information:
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel http://www.phr.org.il

OTHER COVERAGE:

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT (ISM)
From Palsolidarity.org

Stage Two: Invasion of Balata Refugee Camp



"We were standing in the alley way, everything was quite when suddenly without warning we heard a big explosion and heard gun shots. I then saw Jarar and Ihab liying on the floor. Ihab wasn't moving." - Wounded Dutch medical volunteer

Balata Refugee camp was reinvaded at 1:30 in the morning on February 23rd.

19 year-old Ibrahim Saadi was shot dead while throwing a stone at the Israeli armored jeeps

20 year-old Naim Abu Sarif was shot dead by a sniper while standing on the roof of his house.

Five refugee camp residents were wounded, including a 36 year-old taxi driver, Farach Kawa, who sustained multiple fragments of a live bullet to his head and shoulder.





At 11:45 this morning an explosion set off by the Israeli military inside the house belonging to Muhammed Abu Hamis Abu Amar caused a fire in the house. Occupation forces prevented fire trucks from accessing the area and told them that they will be detonating further explosions in the same house. Emergency teams accompanied by international volunteers treated children in some of the adjacent houses who were effected by smoke inhalation. Neighbours attempted to put out the fire by bringing buckets of water.

At 12:30 the military set off a series of additional explosions inside the house of Muhammed Abu Amar.

At 1:00 A medical team including two Palestinians and two international volunteers were trapped in an alleyway adjacent to the house belonging to Muhammed Abu Amar. They were standing behind an Israeli Jeep that soldiers had vacated.



At 2:00 without any warning shots they were fired at and a grenade was thrown at them from around the corner. According to the volunteers the shooting came from the direction of the alleyway where the Israeli soldiers were. A twenty two year old American student was wounded by shrapnel in the hand, a twenty nine year old Dutch volunteer was wounded by shrapnel in the thigh and shoulder. Jirar Candola an ambulance driver with the UPMRC was shot in the arm and leg and Ihab Mansour, a medical volunteer working with the Palestinian scientific society, was shot in the head and taken away by the Israeli soldiers.

At 3:00 the soldiers blew up Muhammad Abu Amar's house, thus killing three Palestinian fighters who were inside.

Israeli forces withdrew from the camp in the early evening.

OTHER COVERAGE (AFP)

Naplouse : Répression meurtrière des forces d'occupation ( Jeudi, 23 février 2006 )