Il campo profughi "Al Brazil" di Rafah (Striscia di Gaza - Palestina) č stato invaso nella notte dalle forze armate israeliane con carri armati e bulldozers supportati da elicotteri da combattimento Apache uccidendo un Palestinese e ferendone 6. Si teme l'invasione a breve di altre zone di Rafah.

*** IMEMC News Flash ***
http://www.imemc.org
October 16, 2003 15:18
One Palestinian killed in Al-Barazil refugee camp near Rafah and six Palestinians injured


*** ISM Report ***
http://www.palsolidarity.org
From: "International Solidarity Movement" <info@palsolidarity>
Date: Thu Oct 16, 2003 2:09 pm
Subject: RAFAH ALERT - AL BRAZIL REFUGEE CAMP INVADED
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/778

AL BRAZIL IS BEING INVADED NOW
Thursday 16th October, 2003
Mohammed and Laura in Rafah

The situation in Rafah has intensified further still. At midnight, yet another area of Rafah was invaded by the Israeli army. This time it was the Al Brazil refugee camp, again situated along the border with Egypt. It is a continuation of the previous raids on Yibnah and Block J, and the ongoing operation in Hay Salaam.

The army has advanced at least 400 metres deep into the area, with 65 tanks as well as a number of bulldozers and APC's. Two Apache helicopters were also deployed. One Palestinian man has been reported killed. Four people have been injured. The local hospital was already desperately overstretched. Now it will have reached crisis point.

Further details are not yet known. It is extremely difficult to know what is happening inside the area due to the severity of the lock-down. No-one can even approach, due to the threat from Israeli snipers. The streets surrounding the occupied area are deserted.

Israeli tanks are reported to be assembling on the border near an area called Tel Zorob. This is the on the opposite side of Rafah to where the army is currently operating in Hay Salaam and Al Brazil. Local residents are terrified this area will be invaded next. Fear is also mounting among the residents of the Salah-El-Deen area of Rafah. This is also situated on the border. It is also not inconceivable that the IOF will return to the Yibnah refugee camp, the scene of last weekend's devastation.

Last night Rafah's main transformer, located in Al Brazil by the Rachel Corrie Nursery School, was shot at and damaged. The entire city has been experiencing a power blackout since 2 a.m. this morning.

The international media is not reporting the plight of Rafah's civilian population. International governments are not condemning Israel's actions. Support from the UN Relief and Works Agency is limited. This is an emergency. Urgent action must be taken immediately. Please friends, pick up the phone and call your representatives! Demand that your country take a stand against what's happening here! Someone stop the Israeli war machine.....

The repeated practice by the Israeli army of deliberate and wanton destruction of homes and civilian property is a grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, notably of Articles 33 and 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and constitutes a war crime," said Amnesty International.