GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the Gaza Strip early Wednesday, an employee of a Gaza-based human rights organization told Ma'an. Israeli warships obstructed Muhammad Zayid and Mousa al-Sultan while they were fishing off the coast of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip before arresting them and confiscating their boat, the employee said, requesting anonymity. The Israeli forces took the two men to an unknown location, he added. He noted that the Israeli navy had in two instances fired at Gaza fishermen on Tuesday under the pretext that they had surpassed fishing zone limits. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the fishermen "entered the prohibited fishing zone" near the northern Gaza Strip, and that soldiers told the fishermen to back away, fired warning shots into the air, and then "transferred the suspects" to an interrogation center. more

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces on Sunday detained two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of northern Gaza after firing upon them, a union official said. The head of Gaza's fisherman's union said in a statement Sunday that Israeli forces detained Sadam and Mahmoud Saleh Abu Ward west of Beit Lahiya. Israeli gunboats reportedly fired at the two fisherman late Saturday, causing them to lose their fishing nets. They were detained while searching for their nets the following day, the statement said. A spokeswoman for the Israeli army said that "soldiers identified a Palestinian naval vessel which crossed designated lines," and called out for the vessels to stop. When they did not stop, "warning shots were fired towards the vessels." more

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- A 20-year-old Palestinian was hit in the face by a tear gas canister fire by Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip, medics said. Adham ad-Dabaji was wounded when Israeli forces fired high-velocity tear gas canisters at a group of Palestinians north of Beit Lahiya. He is being treated at the Kamal Udwan Hospital. more

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported, Friday, that a Palestinian fisherman was killed by Israeli navy fire west of Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The fisherman’s brother was wounded in the attack. Dr. Ashfar Al-Qdura, spokesperson of the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip told the Maan News Agency that Fahmi Salah Abu Rayyash, 22, was shot and seriously injured by Israeli fire on Friday morning, and died of his wounds at a local hospital on Friday evening. Al-Qudra added that Fahmi was shot by one round of live ammunition in his abdomen and another round in his right foot. Yousef, the brother of Fahmi, suffered mild injuries and received the needed medical treatment. The attack is part of ongoing violations carried out by the Israeli army and navy against Palestinian fishermen in the coastal region; these attacks led to dozens of casualties, while dozens of fishermen were also kidnapped by the army. Also in another incident Palesti...

AZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces detained four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, witnesses said. Israeli warships surrounded two fishing boats off Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza, forcing the fishermen off the vessels and taking them to an unknown destination, a Ma'an correspondent said. The fishermen were identified as Nour al-Sultan, 49 and his brother Hasan 39, as well as Jihad al-Sultan, 38 and his brother Zahir, 22. An Israeli military spokeswoman said a Palestinian fishing boat "deviated from the designated fishing area," and failed to respond to calls to return, prompting forces to detain its crew. more

GAZA, (PIC)-- The Israeli occupation forces carried out a small-scale incursion into northern Gaza Strip on Friday evening and bombed a residential area east of Al-Bureij camp without any reported injuries. Local sources told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that Israeli tanks and bulldozers advanced hundreds of meters north of Beit Lahia amid intensive gunfire and embarked on bulldozing the area. A group of civilian passengers also survived miraculously on the same day when two Israeli artillery shells fell close to their car in a residential area east of Al-Bureij camp in central Gaza. more

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) calls upon competent authorities to open an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the death of Ahmed al-Zein, 10, from Beit Lahia, by drowning in a sewage water basin near the Bedouin Village in the northern Gaza Strip. PCHR reiterates its call for competent authorities to take protective measures around sewage basins which threaten the safety and security of Palestinians, especially children, living near sewage water basins in the Gaza Strip. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 18:00 on Saturday, 11 February 2012, crews from the civil defense recovered the body of Ahmed Abdul Menem Ibrahim al-Zein, 10, from Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip, from a sewage water basin in the east of the Bedouin Village in the northern Gaza Strip. Ahmed's relatives reported to a PCHR fieldworker that at approximately 15:00 on Saturday, 11 February 2012, Ahmed went with five of his friends to hunt birds tha...

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that a Palestinian child and a young man were wounded on Friday at dawn, when the Israeli Air Force bombarded a number of areas in the coastal region. The Palestinian News and Info Agency, WAFA, reported that an Israeli “Apache” chopper fired at least one missile at a residential area west of Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, causing damage to a number of homes, also wounding a resident in his twenties, and a 4-year-old child identified as Hayat Taha. The two were moved to Kamal Odwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, suffering mild-to-moderate injuries, WAFA reported. Furthermore, F-16 Israeli jets carried out two airstrikes targeting Jabalia city, and Jabalia An-Nazla, in northern Gaza; damage was reported, and a warehouse caught fire in Jabalia An-Nazla. The army also carried out several airstrikes targeting areas in Khan Younis and Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, and a fourth airstrike targeting an area i...

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Israeli warplanes launched three airstrikes in north and south Gaza Strip early Tuesday, with no reports of injuries, witnesses and security officials said. Israeli F16 fighter jets fired three missiles at fields near al-Shaymaa school in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, two missiles at an open area west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, and one missile at Bani Suheila east of Khan Younis in the early hours. Before the air strikes, locals said flare bombs were fired towards the eastern borders of Khan Younis. more

Palestinian medical sources reported Wednesday that a Palestinian worker, aged just 19 years old, was shot and wounded by the Israeli army in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The sources stated that the worker was shot in his left leg while he was working north of the Bedouin village in Beit Lahia. He was moved to the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia with wounds described as moderate. more

On Friday evening, Israeli Navy boats opened fire at a number of Palestinian fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters near Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip; no injuries were reported. Following the Israeli attack, the fishermen returned to shore to avoid further attacks. Mahmoud Al Aassy, head of the At-Tawfeeq Society for Fishermen, stated that Israel is always trying to keep the fishermen from going out to fish, which leaves them and their families without any source of income. Friday's incident is the latest among ongoing attacks on the fishermen in Gaza. On October 5, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip; damage was reported but no injuries. more

GAZA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- A 22 years old Palestinian youth died Thursday morning, hours after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike at a sports club in northern Gaza Strip, medical spokesman Adham Abu Selmia said. Israel carried out a series of raids in Gaza, which late Wednesday hit a car traveling in the Gaza city and killed an Islamic Jihad activist, and early on Thursday killed a smuggler in tunnels beneath Gaza's southern border with Egypt, and the airplanes, afterwards, bombed a sports club run by the Islamic Jihad, killing a group member. Abu Selmia said 29 Palestinians were wounded in the three attacks. more

( Maan Images ) Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that three residents were killed, and more than 25 were injured, as the Israeli Air Force bombarded several areas, including a sports center, on Wednesday at night and on Thursday at dawn; a total of five residents were killed, and dozens were wounded in less than 24 hours. 18 residents, including children, were killed since in one week. The sources stated that resident Hisham Adnan Abu Harb, and another unidentified resident, were killed when the army bombarded a tunnel in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip; three residents went missing. Also, resident Salama Al Masry was killed, while 20 residents, including 7 children and 4 women, were injured when the army bombarded a sports center in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip; some of the wounded are in critical conditions. The sports center was crowded as a sports event was being held when the army bombarded it; medical teams are ...

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces launched another round of fierce airstrikes on the northern Gaza Strip Sunday afternoon causing explosions which rattled Gaza City. Gaza medical official Adham Abu Salmiya said Israeli warplanes fired two missiles at a Hamas military site in Beit Lahiya injuring seven Palestinians including three children. The attack came hours after an Israeli missile strike hit a group of children in the same area seriously injuring a 12-year-old boy, Abu Salmiya said. more

Gaza Strip, ( Pal Telegraph )-A  twenty year-old Palestinian farmer was shot Saturday  by Israeli gunfire in the north of Beit Lahya town, northern Gaza Strip. Adham Abu Silmiya, medical emergency spokesman, said that Israeli forces stationed along the northern borders of Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian farmers who were working in their fields, leaving one injured. The man was evacuated immediately to Kamal Udwan hospital to receive medication due to a bullet hit his head, he added.  Israeli forces on Gaza borders continue to target Palestinian farmers, hindering them access to their lands, creating tension among civilians, and inflicting damage to Palestinian properties.

Another farmer shot as IDF enforces its illegal 'buffer zone' on the northern border. Indeed, Israel is now taking measures to expand the zone with moves to reopen the tallest observation tower in Gaza at Nahal Oz. It is sited in the same disused industrial zone east of Gaza City that saw warehouses destroyed by the IDF earlier this week. A Palestinian farmer was shot yesterday by Israeli gunfire during his work in the north of Beit Lahya, northern Gaza Strip. more

Another Palestinian was killed today, at the northern border fence near the closed Erez crossing. Haaretz reports one dead while the Palestine Telegraph says two gravel workers were attacked but reports no deaths as yet - not clear if this is the same incident. At least two Palestinians were shot by Israeli gunfire during their work in Beit lahia, northern Gaza Strip. According to SAFA News Agency, Israeli tanks stationed at the northern borders opened massive fire at Palestinian workers who were collecting gravels in that area causing two people injured.

The three dead youths were collecting sea shells according to their families. Who will pay for this crime? GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Three Palestinians were shot dead in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Israeli military officials informed Gaza authorities. The three were said to have been killed near the evacuated Doget settlement, north of Beit Lahiya. A Palestinian official in Gaza said he was informed that the men were shot allegedly sneaking into Israel. Medics were alerted and permitted by Israeli forces occupying the border region to enter the "no-go zone" to retrieve the bodies, spokesman of the higher committee of ambulance and emergency services Adham Abu Salmiya told Ma'an. more

Three people have been killed in Israeli air strikes today - don't expect this to be reported very widely in western media that doesn't seem to know a massacre when it sees one. Meanwhile Egypt has reopened the Rafah crossing, presumably deciding that it's alliance with Israel and this juncture is not particularly flattering. Gaza - Ma'an - Medics in the Gaza Strip confirmed three dead following an Israeli air strike on the northern Strip near the town of Beit Lahiya on Tuesday afternoon. An Israeli military source said planes were aiming for a "clear target" in the area, and pilots noted "secondary explosions" following the bombing. more

GAZA, March 1 ( Xinhua ) -- A Palestinian militant was killed Monday afternoon and his faction said an Israeli shelling caused his death in northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya. Ali Ghaben, 20, was killed when Israeli tanks fired shells at a group of militants who were monitoring the border between northern Gaza and Israel, said Abu Mujahed, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC), a Gaza-based faction. Another fighter was injured in the shelling, the spokesman added. The incident happened as witnesses said that several Israeli tanks rolled for 200 meters into Palestinian-controlled areas in Beit Lahiya.