Monday June 26, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Palestinians rally against release of seized Israeli sodier

The relatives of Palestinians being held in Israeli jails rallied in Gaza to support the recent kidnapping of an Israeli soldier, seized during a cross-border raid. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered commanders to prepare a major offensive after the kidnapping of Corporal Gilad Shalit, amassing troops along the Gaza Strip border and igniting fears of a sharp escalation in Mid-East violence.

A Palestinian girl holds a framed portrait of a martyr

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Monday June 26, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Scenes from the Palestinian Territories

A Palestinian boy walks past a building scarred with graffiti a day after Palestinian militants abducted an Israeli soldier, prompting fears of a sharp escalation in Mid-East violence.

A Palestinian boy walks past a house scarred with graffiti.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Monday June 26, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Scenes from the Palestinian Territories

A Palestinian boy rides his bicycle past a house scarred with graffiti a day after Palestinian militants abducted an Israeli soldier, prompting fears of a sharp escalation in Mid-East violence.

A Palestinian boy rides his bicycle past a house scarred with graffiti.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Thursday June 22, 2006, Khan Younnis, Palestinian Territories

Palestinians open new Al Aqsa University campus after Israeli pullout

Once located within the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim, the compound that would later become home to Al Aqsa University was partially destroyed during Israel's pullout from the area in 2005. Numerous repairs have been made to the campus since then and the university is currently holding its final exams for the school year.

A Palestinian man wearing a kefiyah is seen on the Al Aqsa University campus.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Tuesday June 20, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Three children killed in Israeli airstrike

A five-year-old Palestinian boy and two girls, aged seven and sixteen were killed in an Israeli airstrike aimed at militants in Gaza. Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a car carrying militants in the Jebaliya camp, killing the three children and wounding eight others.

Palestinian men gather around a car destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Tuesday June 20, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Three children killed in Israeli airstrike

A five-year-old Palestinian boy and two girls, aged seven and sixteen were killed in an Israeli airstrike aimed at militants in Gaza. Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a car carrying militants in the Jebaliya camp, killing the three children and wounding eight others.

Palestinian men gather around the bodies of Mohammed Roka (top), 5 and and sister Needa (bottom) at the Shifa Hospital morgue.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Tuesday June 20, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Three children killed in Israeli airstrike

A five-year-old Palestinian boy and two girls, aged seven and sixteen were killed in an Israeli airstrike aimed at militants in Gaza. Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a car carrying militants in the Jebaliya camp, killing the three children and wounding eight others.

A man carries a wounded toddler into Shifa Hospital.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday June 10, 2006, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Palestinians take up the cause of Huda Ghalia who lost her family at Beit Lahia Beach

The president of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas holds a meeting with seven-year-old Huda Ghalia whose father, siblings, and stepmother perished in the shelling at Beit Lahia Beach.

Huda Ghalia with Mahmoud Abbas

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday June 10, 2006, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Palestinians take up the cause of Huda Ghalia who lost her family at Beit Lahia Beach

Palestinians mourn the recent deaths of her family caught up in shelling on a beach in the northern Gaza Strip. Seven Palestinians, including two children, were killed in the Israeli shelling of the northern Gaza Strip's seafront. The deaths on the beachfront in the Sudania area of the narrow coastal territory raised the death toll from Israeli strikes to 14 in less than 24 hours. The other seven were killed in air raids. Around 35 other people were wounded in the firing off the coast of Gaza.

Palestinians march to the funeral of the family of Houda Ghalia.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday June 10, 2006, Gaza, Palestininan Territories

Tensions in Gaza

A Palestinian woman cries during the funeral of the fanily whose seven members were killed in the Israeli shelling of the northern Gaza Strip's seafront, medical sources said. The deaths on the beachfront in the Sudania area of the narrow coastal territory raised the death toll from Israeli strikes to 14 in less than 24 hours. The other seven were killed in air raids, according to medical sources. Around 35 other people were wounded in the firing off the coast of Gaza, from which all Israeli ground troops were withdrawn last September.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Tuesday June 6, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh leads cabinet meeting

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh leads a cabinet meeting at his Gaza City office. Haniyeh's Hamas-led government is at a loggerhead with Fatah President Mahmoud Abbas regarding his ultimatum to either accept a manifesto recognizing Israel or face a referendum on the issue.

Ismael Haniyeh is seen in his car following a meeting.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Wednesday May 31, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Islamic Jihad militants rally in Gaza

Members of Islamic Jihad attend a rally in Gaza City.

Palestinian boys watch an Islamic Jihad member cradling a weapon and wearing a ski mask.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Tuesday May 30, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Palestinian women attend Gaza City soccer camp

Palestinian women take part in a Gaza City soccer football camp.

Female Palestinian soccer players during practice.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Tuesday May 30, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Palestinian women attend Gaza City soccer camp

Palestinian women take part in a Gaza City soccer football camp.

A female Palestinian soccer player stretches before practice.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Tuesday May 30, 2006, Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Palestinian women attend Gaza City soccer camp

Palestinian women take part in a Gaza City soccer football camp.

Female Palestinian soccer player, Hala Sadi Shagura, 20, plays with a ball inside her room.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday May 27, 2006, Gaza

A Palestinian gunman from the Abu Rish Brigades, a group linked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Movement, take part in a rally in Gaza City, Saturday, May 27, 2006. The gunmen were protesting against the deployment of a Hamas-backed force in the streets of Gaza which they claim is illegal and is a cause for factional fighting.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Friday May 26, 2006, Gaza

A palestinian man is seen looking at the street inside the mosque where the primer Minister Haniya does his friday prays and a Hamas member is reflected in the mirrow in Jabalya,Gaza.The Hamas militant group withdrew a controversial private militia from the streets of the Gaza Strip on Friday, saying it wanted to avoid further infighting with the rival Fatah movement

A palestinian man is seen looking at the street inside the mosque where the primer Minister Haniya does his friday prays and a Hamas member is reflected in the mirrow in Jabalya,Gaza.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Wednesday May 24, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade militants prepare to patrol the streets of Gaza

Palestinian militants from the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade take part in a rally as they prepare to share patrolling duties with members of the newly-formed paramilitary force created by the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade militants march with flags during a rally.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday May 13, 2006, Gaza

The wife of Mousa Al Aewarka, man who was killed by shelling israelis, is seen with her camels one of them wounded in the shelling

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday May 13, 2006, Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Israeli shelling in Rafah

Zakiya Abu Armana, mother of Bashir Abu Armana, he was killed by israelis in Rafah.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday May 13, 2006, Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Israeli shelling in Rafah

A boy walks by damage buildings from Israeli shelling in Rafah.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Saturday May 13, 2006, Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Israeli shelling in Rafah

Men play football in Rafah.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Friday May 5, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza, Israel

Palestinians burn US flags during Hamas Rally

Palestinian Primer MInister Imael Haniya is seen after he leaves the mosque in refugee camp Shati in the north of Gaza city.5 May 2006.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

April 2006, Gaza

A palestinian boy is seen in Austria Project neigbour camp refugee with destroyed buildings trhought Israeli Shoots

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

April 2006, Gaza

A palestinian boy plays football in Gaza City

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

April 2006, Gaza

Palestinian boys wait outside the mosque in Gaza City

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

April 2006, Gaza

Palestinian woman are seen in funeral of suicide man in Jenin.West Bank

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Wednesday June 28, 2006, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Aftermath of attack on Gaza by Israeli army

Palestinians look at hole on destroyed bridge following an Israeli air strike on the western entrance of Gaza City. Israel has launched a military offensive to free Gilad Shalit -- a teenage soldier who was kidnapped by Palestinian militants on June 25. Palestinian Deputy Premier Nasserdine al-Shaer has called on Shalit's captors to keep him alive but warned the soldier's life depends on Israel

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Wednesday June 28, 2006, Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories

Aftermath of attack on Gaza by Israeli army

Palestinians look at a destroyed bridge following an Israeli air strike on the western entrance of Gaza City. Israel has launched a military offensive to free Gilad Shalit, a teenage soldier who was kidnapped by Palestinian militants on June 25. Palestinian Deputy Premier Nasserdine al-Shaer has called on Shalit's captors to keep him alive but warned the soldier's life depends on Israel.

Credit: Laura Leon / Polaris

Laura Leon