393 Martyrs, 1995 Injured as Israeli Op Enters 5th Day

Over 393 Palestinians martyrs and more than 1995 injured as the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip enters its fifth day and most of the Arab leaders along with the international community are adopting “Hear-no, See-no, Speak-no” policy.

At a time the Israeli occupation army says that it has finished preparing for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, however, it will not begin such an incursion until it receives the go-ahead from the Israeli government, which is still discussing whether it should first agree to a 48-hour cease-fire intended to prevent further escalation as the Israeli officials seem to be split over such decision.

Meanwhile, Hamas armed military wing, Ezz-eddine al-Qassam brigades confirmed Tuesday that the continuation of the Israeli aggression would be faced by widening the range of the Resistance’s missiles on the Israeli settlements.

In a fresh Israeli raid, two Palestinians were killed in Khan Younis, southern the Strip and at least one was injured.

Early Wednesday, Israeli aircraft pounded what the army said “smuggling tunnels” under the Gaza-Egypt border, setting off a huge explosion in a fuel tunnel, witnesses said, as other aircraft hit Hamas positions in Gaza City. No casualties were reported. The military said government buildings were hit, including an office of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

A Palestinian medic has joined the procession of martyrs and two others wounded when an Israeli missile struck next to their ambulance during a clash east of Gaza City, Palestinians said. On Tuesday, at least 30 Palestinians - including two sisters aged 5 and 12 - were killed in Israeli occupation attacks on Gaza.

More than 390 Palestinians, including 45 children, have been killed and over 1950 injured by Israeli forces since Operation Cast Lead began on Saturday, according to Palestinian sources.

The Israel Air Force continued its intensive search for rocket launchers on Tuesday. "We haven't finished the work yet," Israeli army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told Israeli President Shimon Peres on Tuesday.

Israel bombed dozens of smuggling tunnels in Rafah Tuesday night, the second such attack in two days. The attack came after Israel advised the Egyptian army to move its soldiers away from the border so they wouldn't get hurt in the bombing. Aside from the tunnels, the number of targets attacked by the air force decreased on Tuesday.

Israeli warplanes bombed the Hamas government complex in Tel al-Hawa, in the Gaza City area, knocking down the seven-story buildings housing Hamas' foreign, finance and labor ministries early Tuesday. In a separate attack, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's office was bombed a second time.

The Israeli Navy also took part in the operation, with navy ships attacking targets along the Gaza coast.

Hamas' military wing vowed that if Israel attempted to bring its troops into the Strip, the children of Gaza would soon be collecting the occupation soldiers' body parts.


PEOPLE DYING DUE TO LACK OF EQUIPMENT
There are no IV units, no syringes, and every square meter is used for treating the injured, but the medical staff at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital, which has been working nonstop since the Israeli occupation army operation was launched, has no plans to give up.

"This is a catastrophic situation. All the corridors, operating rooms and trauma rooms are filled with injured people, but we won't let anyone die without a battle," the hospital's manager, Dr. Hassan Khaled, said on Tuesday afternoon.

Despite the feeling of helplessness, Shifa's manager reported that all the doctors and nurses are willing to help. "The alternative is being Israel's slave, and that will never happen," Dr. khaled said.

"You, the Israelis, are the strongest people in the world. Bombing houses, universities and police stations is insane," said Khaled.

"You're fooling yourselves when you say Hamas is a big threat to Israel. Hamas is only a representative of the Palestinian people. These strikes will never oppress Hamas. You are asking us to forget we are humans and to forget we have a right to live. We won't give up, no matter how many people are injured."

Khaled concluded, "In the past day, 22 children and nine women arrived in the hospital and died of their wounds. Some 150 children and 73 women were injured, and all this only in the last 24 hours."