Israeli Apache helicopters fired Thursday morning four missiles at block "O" Refugee Camp of Rafah City, killing four Palestinians and injuring at least 45 others, while a fifth was killed in separate attack in al-Barazil neighbourhood, witnesses and Palestinian medical sources said.
Witnesses told WAFA that Israeli helicopter gunships fired four missiles against a crowd of Palestinians in the refugee camp, along the borderline with Egypt, killing four and injuring 45 others, eight critically.
Mohammed Mwafi 15, Hamed Abu Hamra 18, Sameh Abu Jazar 22, and Ramzi Salah 23, were instantly killed Thursday morning during the morning air raid.
Mohammed al-Ya'qobi, 19, was also killed after being shot in the chest in the neighbourhood of al-Barazil.
All in all, the death toll of the Israeli air-strikes on Rafah City has risen to 12, as seven Palestinians were killed early Thursday in an Israeli air raid on Palestinian houses.
Meanwhile, Palestinian official sources said on Thursday that 15 Palestinians were killed and 185 wounded, including 10 children, in the latest Israeli attack on al-Zaytoon neighborhood of Gaza.
The Israeli attack has left grave devastation, complete destruction of houses, infrastructure and electricity and telecommunication networks.
On his part, Yasser Arafat said Thursday that the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in al-Zaytoon and Rafah are "atrocious crimes".
Following a meeting with the Irish Foreign Minister's envoy, John Campbell, in Ramallah, Arafat said that Israel has moved its "crimes" from al-Zaytoon into Rafah, killing and wounding a large number of Palestinians, causing vast destruction of infrastructure and property.
Arafat also called on the entire world to immediately intervene to condemn and end the continued Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, infrastructures and Christian and Islamic shrines.
He stressed that the Palestinian people will continue their steadfastness and will never surrender. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
