RAFAH, May 18, 2004, (WAFA) - In a new Israeli massacre, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) murdered Tuesday at pre-dawn at least 13 citizens and wounded dozens, some critically in a wide-scale brutal military operation in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, witnesses and local sources said.... Witnesses told WAFA that the Israeli helicopter gunships raided residential compounds, civilian buildings in al-Sultan neighbourhood and block "0" area of Rafah, firing a number of missiles at the civilian houses.... They added that the IOF snipers broke into a number of civilian houses and positioned themselves atop in the neighbourhood. They opened fire at any thing that moves.... The IOF committed a heinous crime against worshipers who were inside Bilal mosque in the neighbourhood of Tal al-Sultan, witnesses, Ahmad Feras said.... Firas added that the US-made Israeli Apache fired a number of missiles against the mosque while the prayers were on their way out, killing several and wounding dozens, some critically.... Palestinian security sources confirmed that 38 Israeli military vehicles loaded with Israeli soldiers, covered by a volley of warplanes, moved from Israeli colony of "Rafih Yam" on the borderline with Egypt, broke into the city from different entrances to commit a massacre against the defenseless civilians.... Palestinian medical sources at al-Najaar Hospital reported that 13 citizens were murdered in cold blood and dozens others were wounded, some, including children, critically.... The killed identified as follows: Mohammed Darwish 25, Hani Kofa, Waleed Abu Jazar 27, Mohammed al-Jundi, Mohammed al-Nawajha, Tareq al-Eid, Ibrahim al- Imad al-Mughari, Hussein Shabana, Said al-Mughaier.... The medics added that the Palestinian medical ambulances and teams' access were denied as the Israeli warplanes opened heavy gunshots against them. An ambulance driver was shot and the ambulance was damaged.... They also confirmed that a number of the injured are still in the crime scene and inside the ambulances which are besieged by the IOF troops to deny vacating them into hospitals.... Meanwhile, IOF prevented teams of the civilian defense service from reaching the mosque which was bombed where flames of fire was sit up. The electricity service also was cut as the Israeli helicopters bombed the main transmitter of the city.... Earlier, IOF detained four ambulances with a number of killed and injured amid intensive shooting. One of the ambulances was on its way to vacate a pregnant woman with pains of delivery.... Medical officials in the city called on the World Health Organization to pressurize Israel to halt its military aggression against the Palestinian people, medical teams, and rescue services. The Palestinian people need international protection.... Local sources reported that the city did not only witness a military campaign of bombing but also a campaign of house demolitions.... Meanwhile, IOF imposed a tight military siege where dozens of tanks and military vehicles, covered by warplanes hovering in the city sky, were massively deployed.... - .