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A Palestinian boy inspect the rubble of a nursery destroyed by the Israeli army in Jabalia (AFP)
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By
Ola Atallah, IOL Correspondent
GAZA
CITY, October 3 (IslamOnline.net) – A massive and bloody Israeli
incursion has plunged the Gaza Strip again in scenes of anguish.
Intensely emotional pictures keep unfolding as the open-ended
onslaught enters its fifth running day.
Mothers
weeping over corpses of their sons, torn-up roads, demolished houses,
deserted shops, damaged sewerage systems and a prevailing stink of
death are the hallmarks of the Strip’s largest Jabaliya refugee
camp, the main target of the deadliest Israeli offensive since the
start of the second Intifada in September 2000.
"We
live in extreme panic and spend sleepless nights under unabated
Israeli bombardment and air strikes," Intisar Al-Gharabawi, a
camp resident, told IslamOnline.net Sunday, October 3.
"We
are being slain by the Israeli army and no body ever lifts a finger to
help us. We live in appalling conditions and are running out of
food," added her neighbor Muyassar.
On
Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the expansion of
the incursion and reinforcements to about 2,000 troops backed by up to
200 tanks.
The
massive operation continued Sunday, claiming the lives of at least
four more Palestinians.
Some
66 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed in the sweeping
Israeli offensive which was unleashed late Tuesday,
September 28.
Steadfast
But
the people of Jabaliya, estimated at around 85,000, remained steadfast
in their defense of their homeland.
Resistance
fighters and volunteers have taken positions at the outskirts of the
camp standing their ground against armed-to-the-teeth Israeli
soldiers, backed by tanks and helicopters.
"Thank
God, no Israeli tank has managed so far to enter the camp," a
Hamas fighter told IOL.
He
dismissed as hoary old clichés Israeli claims that the incursion was
aimed at stopping rocket attacks on Israeli towns and settlements.
Unknown
Soldier
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The Israeli onslaught has wreaked havoc on the Palestinian population of the Jabalia camp (AFP)
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Palestinian
medics are the unknown soldier in the war against the Israeli
occupation forces. They put their lives on the line in the hope of
saving others.
"We
chock in our feelings of anger and anguish so that we can concentrate
on our work," said Jawad Bedier, an ambulance driver.
"Though
we are targeted by trigger-happy Israeli soldiers, we are resolved to
resist the Israeli occupation and help our people," added his
medic colleague Fadl Sobih.
Stone-throwing
Palestinian children are also braving the Israeli military juggernaut.
Some even set fire to tires to blur Israeli drones flying over the
Gaza Strip.
"We
are now old enough to defend our homes and lands," said
enthusiastic 11-year-old Ghassan Salem.
Israeli
occupation forces had twice attempted to break into the Jabaliya
refugee camp, east of Gaza City, since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa
Intifada, killing at least 52 Palestinians.
