GAZA, December 27, 2008 (WAFA)- At least 155 Palestinian citizens were killed and more than 200 were injured, Saturday, in one of Israel's fiercest airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
Dr. Mo'awiya Hassanin, Head of the Emergency Department in the Ministry of Health, said that 155 Palestinians were killed and 200 were injured in this airstrike. He added that the number of martyrs is expected to rise as tens of the injured are in a critical condition, and because a large number of casualties are still being pulled out from the ruins.
He added that today is the bloodiest for Palestinians in more than 20 years, affirming that the medical staff cannot handle the situation because of the lack of medicines and medical equipment.
Palestinian Minister of Health, Fathi Abu Moghli, called on the medical teams in Gaza, specially doctors, to move immediately to hospitals and do their duty toward the people of Gaza who suffer from Israel's deadliest attack.
Eye witnesses said that the martyrs and wounded lay scattered on the ground after more than 30 airstrikes.
Witnesses also affirmed that an Israeli air raid targeted Shiekh Zayed Mosque, west of Gaza, killing and wounding a number of citizens and that rescue teams are still searching for any survivors under ruins of the destroyed buildings.
Commenting on the situation in Gaza, President Mahmoud Abbas said the Israeli air campaign was 'criminal', calling on international community to intervene and end this aggression.
'President Abbas strongly condemns this harsh aggression that Israel is waging now against the Gaza Strip,' said Nabil Abu Rudienah, Palestinian Presidency Spokesman.
'The President calls on the Israeli government to immediately stop this aggression and urges the international community to intervene to put an end to it,' he added in a statement released, Saturday.
Meanwhile, the European Union Chief of Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, called for an immediate ceasefire. 'We are very concerned at the events in Gaza. We call for an immediate ceasefire and urge everybody to exert maximum restraint,' his spokesman said.
Egypt also condemned the Israeli raids saying it would keep trying to restore a truce between Israel and Gaza.
Arab ministers of foreign affairs were set to hold an emergency meeting in Cairo in the next two days to take a common position on the raids.
In the same context, Egypt announced that it opened its border with the Gaza Strip to allow wounded Palestinians leave for medical treatment in its hospitals, adding that it will send medical supplies to Gaza.
