Israel troops fire upon Gazan farmers

The Israeli regime forces have opened fire on Palestinian farmers in Gaza Strip, stepping up a campaign against the coastal sliver’s agricultural properties.

“Since Sunday morning, the occupation forces have opened fire on the eastern regions of the Strip,” the Middle East Monitor publication reported on Monday.

So far no casualties have been reported.

“The Israeli occupation forces targeted the farmers and shepherds in the eastern regions of the two towns of Khan Younis and Rafah as well as the Bureij refugee camp,” said the report, quoting Palestinian media.

Palestinian farmers are constantly fired upon by Israeli troops stationed at the border to prevent them from reclaiming their lands.

Electricity cut to pressure West Bank

Meanwhile, Israel’s electricity company temporarily cut off power to vast parts of the northern West Bank, citing the Palestinian government owes the regime $492 million.

“We limited for 45 minutes today the supply of electricity to five power lines in Nablus and Jenin,” read a statement released by the company.

During the blackout dozens of Palestinians were stranded in elevators.

Israel’s power cut came on the heels of its Sunday move of opening the gates of several dams surrounding the besieged area.

Hundreds of Palestinians were forced to evacuate their homes after the widespread flooding that followed.

“The [Israeli] army opened the floodgates of a canal leading to central Gaza, which led to the removal of sand mounds along the border with Israel,” GAZA’s Civil Defense Directorate (CDD) said in a statement.

Tel Aviv has previously opened Gaza Valley dams to induce floods that have forced hundreds of Palestinian families out of their homes.

Currently, thousands of Palestinians are struggling with exceedingly harsh winter conditions after Israel’s summer war on the besieged Gaza rendered many homeless.

About 2,200 Palestinians, including 577 children, were killed in a 50-day Israeli onslaught, which started in early July 2014 and ended in late August. Over 11,100 others, including 3,374 children, 2,088 women and 410 elderly people, were also injured.

The Gaza Strip has been blockaded since June 2007, which has caused a decline in the standard of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.