Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org, for Monday August 4th, 2008.

The Death Toll in Gaza due to the Israeli siege reaches 227, while the 17-year old shot in Nil'in last week is pronounced dead, these stories and more coming up, stay tuned.

The News cast

In the Gaza Strip, the number of patients who have died due to the Israeli siege has reached 227 as one more patient died today. Medical sources reported the death of 53-year-old Suad Abd Rabuh who died of cancer. She was not able to leave the Gaza Strip to receive life-saving medical treatment.

In addition, Palestinian security sources told media outlets that Israeli gunboats fired at fishermen in the Sudaniya area in northern Gaza and the city of Khan Younis in the south. No causalities were reported.

Since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in September 2000, more than 5000 Palestinian fishermen have been exposed nearly constant harassment by Israeli naval forces.

On Monday morning, Palestinian medical sources in the central West Bank city of Ramallah told IMEMC that 17-year-old Yousif Amira, who was shot in the nearby Nil'in village on Wednesday evening, had been pronounced dead.

Amira was among the villagers who took part in the funeral of Ahmad Mousa, the 11 year old Palestinian boy who was killed by Israeli army gunfire on Tuesday night. As soon as the funeral on Wednesday afternoon was finished, local youth clashed with Israeli soldiers. Amira was among the three who were injured.

The Israeli army continued targeting cities in the West Bank. This morning the Israeli army invaded Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem and Ramallah. Israeli troops and military vehicle shot intensive gunfire, grenades and sound bombs at random. Israeli troops searched and ransacked several houses and kidnapped a total of 16 civilians from west bank cities.

Continuing our news coverage, a group of Israeli settlers attacked Yasuf village southern the West Bank city of Salfit. Local sources reported that Israeli settlers attacked civilians in the village and shot intensive gunfire under the protection of the Israeli army. Settlers attacked 76 year old Ibrahim Yasin, leaving him battered and bruised.

Also in Hebron city Israeli settlers attacked Na'eem Abd Al-Salam and his wife in Wad Al Nasara village, beating them and hitting them with stones which caused bruising and other injuries to his wife.

Moreover dozens of settlers attacked houses and civil cars in Wad Al-Nasara village with the protection of the Israeli army.

Conclusion
Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by William Bascom and Hussam Qassis.





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