Abbas demands U.N. intervention
Palestinian leader wants Security Council to discuss 'escalation initiated by Israel' after army kills five Palestinians Thursday; meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians, including many gunmen, take part in Nablus funerals
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says he wants the United Nations Security Council to be convened in the wake of the killing of five Palestinians by the IDF in Nablus Thursday and two more in Gaza early Friday.
Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians, including many gunmen, took part in the funerals of the five Palestinians killed during the IDF operation in the Balata refugee camp. During the operation, troops killed several wanted suspects.
Palestinian Authority Spokesman Nabil Abu-Rudeina said the PA has called for the Security Council to convene urgently in order to put an end to Israeli military operations and assassinations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The spokesman said Israel has escalated its operations in February.
In another statement published by Palestinian news agency Wafa, Abbas condemned the IDF's Nablus operation and said it jeopardizes the cease-fire in place for a year now.
Palestinian killed in 'work accident'
Two Palestinians were killed by the IDF in separate incidents in the Gaza Strip early Friday.
In one case, a Palestinian who attempted to place an explosive device near the security fence in the vicinity of the Kissufim crossing was shot and killed. Elsewhere, troops fired at four Palestinians near the fence, killing one of them. Another Palestinian, who managed to cross into Israel, was detained and taken in for interrogation.
The Palestinians, however, said all those hurt were unarmed and were trying to enter Israel in order to find work.
Meanwhile, Palestinian sources reported that one man was killed and another one was wounded in blast east of Gaza city. The explosion occurred while the two were preparing explosive devices. The killed man was identified as senior Hams member Muhammad Abu Deif.
