Shutdown protesting Israeli air raids paralyzes life in West Bank, East Jerusalem

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A general strike condemning the Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip paralyzed life in the West Bank and East Jerusalem on Sunday.

“The comprehensive strike includes all governorates of the West Bank, and it represents a Palestinian message of anger over the crimes of the occupation,” Wasel Abu Youssef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, told Anadolu.

He pointed out that the military operation in Gaza "requires international intervention to protect the Palestinian people."

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Education closed all the educational institutions.

Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Saturday and said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. It said it fired rockets and captured many Israelis.

At least 350 Israelis were killed and over 1,860 injured in the attack, while several soldiers and civilians were captured by Hamas and taken back to Gaza.

Israel retaliated with a series of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, which left at least 313 Palestinians dead and nearly 2,000 injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi