- Palestine
- January 3, 2009
- 2 minutes read
441 Palestinians including over 70 children killed by Israel since last Saturday
Israel continued for the eighth consecutive day its military attacks against civilian targets throughout the Gaza Strip resulting in the death of 441 Palestinians including more than 70 children.
Dr. Muawiya Hassanein, the director of ambulance and emergency in the health ministry, said that most of the victims were civilians including 36 women and 70 children, pointing out that the beds in Gaza hospitals are full of patients and injuries and can accommodate no more.
For his part, Dr. Bassem Naim, the health minister, warned that the outcome of the ongoing Israeli massacres committed against the Gaza people is apt to increase significantly especially since there are more than 400 seriously-injured citizens.
Dr. Naim noted that there is a severe shortage of medicines and medical equipment used to handle emergency situations, adding that 50 percent of ambulances are out of service due to the lack of spare part as a result of the Israeli siege.
The minister also said that the IOF troops intensively bombed civilian institutions and homes, calling on the Arab states to urgently provide Gaza hospitals with medical supplies and ambulances fully equipped with medical care means.
Meanwhile in the West Bank, Israeli border policemen carried out massive arbitrary arrests against Palestinian workers in Palestinian lands occupied in 1948 in fear of counterattacks carried out by the Palestinian resistance in retaliation to the Israeli crimes committed against the Gaza people.
Hebrew radio reported that the IOF troops detained 80 Palestinian workers hailing from different West Bank cities during raids on construction sites and work places.