Some 85 Palestinians killed in Israeli offensives in week

A Gaza main hospital said on Thursday that 85 Palestinians have been killed and more than 300 wounded since July 6 when Israel launched a ground offensive into northern Gaza, dubbed "the Sword of Gil'ad".

The hospital spokesman Jom'a al-Saqqa told the press that during the past week, a total of 85 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli offensives, including 34 children under 13.

"But the number of death could be further increased as many of the serious wounded are dying," said al-Saqqa.

Regarding the wounded people, al-Saqqa said that dozens of the injured had lost parts of their bodies as Israel used new kind of missiles that "badly affect the body and destroy the cells".

"We are not familiar with such weapons during the Israeli strikes that we have experienced for long years," he said, urging an international investigation into the weapons used by Israeli army.

Meanwhile, the doctor also called for assistance from the World Health Organization.

On Thursday morning, a Palestinian militant was killed and another wounded in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza Strip town of Dier al-Balah, medical sources said.

They said that 22-year-old Ali Badwan was rushed to a local hospital in the town but died later of his severe wounds.

Palestinian security sources said that Badwan is a member of Saraya al-Quds, armed wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War).

Witnesses said that Badwan was killed when an unmanned Israeli drone fired one missile at him as he walked near a bank on the main road at the town.

After the death of Badwan, the number of Palestinians killed during the past 24 hours has rose to 26, said media reports.

Source: Xinhua