Israeli troops shot Friday and wounded two Palestinian civilians in two separate attacks in the district of Bethlehem, witnesses and official sources said.
One worshipper was shot Friday in the chest while scores others suffered suffocation when Israeli soldiers opened fire and tear-gas canisters at a mosque during the Friday prayers in the village of Hossan, west of Bethlehem, official sources told WAFA.
Head of Hossan Municipal Council, Mustafa Hamamreh said the wounded was evacuated to a hospital while several worshippers who lost their consciousness received field first aid.
“Scores of canisters penetrated the mosque from the windows, we were covered with a white gas cloud,” a worshiper told WAFA.
Later, Israeli soldiers stationed near Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque, opened fire on Palestinian houses in the refugee camp of al-'Azza and injured one civilian, witnesses said.
Beit Jala Hospital sources said that Hussein Nawawra, 17, was wounded with a live gunshot in his thigh.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
