GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Hamas and Fatah gunmen battled each other in the streets Sunday, having sent civilians fleeing from their homes in an increasingly bloody power struggle that left more than two dozen Palestinians dead over the weekend.
An explosion early in the morning rocked the Gaza City home of a bodyguard to Fatah strongman Mohammed Dahlan, but the guard was not in the building and no casualties were reported. At least eight people were wounded in exchanges of fire between the sides overnight, Palestinian security officials said.
The latest round of fighting began late Thursday after a Hamas activist was killed in a bombing. By Saturday night, 25 Palestinians — including a 2-year-old and a 12-year-old — had been killed and at least 76 were wounded, bringing to a standstill fitful efforts to unite the two rival factions in a coalition government.
A threat by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah to call early elections fueled the tensions that provoked the violence.
Residents of areas where the fighting was fiercest left to take refuge with relatives, and bullet holes pocked many of the buildings there.
Major roads in Gaza City were blocked by concrete barriers put up by security personnel loyal to both factions, causing traffic jams as drivers were forced on to alternate roads.
Large security details loyal to both groups deployed at major street corners and outside potential targets, like the homes of Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the Islamic militant Hamas. Security also was reinforced around Palestinian media outlets, and two Gaza City universities were shuttered.
Late Saturday night, a 12-year-old boy was killed and two people were wounded in northern Gaza during a shootout, witnesses and hospital officials said.
The boy's father, Baher Abu El-Karaya, a local Fatah leader, was injured in the gunbattle. From his hospital bed, he told The Associated Press that Hamas gunmen attacked his home.
In other violence, Hamas gunmen fired mortars at the Abbas-allied Preventive Security Service headquarters and at the home of the force's chief, Rashid Abu Shbak, officials said.
Hamas and an Abbas spokesman appealed for calm on Saturday.
In a clear jab at the moderate Abbas, Haniyeh criticized "troublemakers who are trying to veer away from the path of our people" by receiving "dirty American funding and arms." The White House is seeking some $85 million to help bolster security forces loyal to Abbas.
Control over the security forces is a focal point of the factions' power struggle. Abbas claims authority over most of the 80,000 Palestinian security personnel, but Hamas controls the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of some of the security apparatuses, and operates its own separate force of 5,000, drawn from the group's military wing.
The long-standing enmity between the two groups turned even deadlier after Hamas swept parliamentary elections in January 2006, ending four decades of Fatah rule.
Some 60 people have died in Gaza since early December alone, following Abbas' pledge to call early elections if coalition talks between Hamas and Fatah fail. Abbas said last week he would move forward with his election plan if the coalition talks failed to produce results within three weeks.
Hamas, which defeated Fatah in parliamentary elections last year, opposes a new vote.
Abbas hopes that by forming a coalition government, he will be able to persuade Israel and the West to reinstate hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the Palestinian government that they cut off to pressure Hamas to disarm and recognize Israel's right to exist.
Both Fatah and Hamas officials said late Friday that unity talks would be suspended until the fighting ends.
Mediators from two small factions, meanwhile, tried to win the release of hostages taken by the two sides. Late Saturday, seven Hamas activists and four Fatah members were freed in the southern town of Khan Younis, officials said.
All of this, coupled with lessened Palestinian-Israeli tensions in Gaza, and the picture seems to be looking good for all sides.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Keltoi
Not sure I'm that optimistic. A suicide bomber killed 3 people in an Israeli resort town yesterday.
Just got news of that today.
Hopefully its fueled by an outsider like Iran or US, and not the Palestinian people themselves, its the wrong mindset to have in a time like this.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Keltoi
Hamas released a statement praising the bombing, and Fatah claimed responsiblity. Lovely state of affairs.
Well, at least they're not fighting each other, after all, isn't that the point of this thread.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
Salaam,
As always the problem is simple misplaced trust.
Abbas believes the Israel and the US gov can be trusted to do what is right.
Or maybe Abbas is a stooge of the powers to ensure that a goveremtn rises that is compliant to Isrelais agenada.
Thus as always they use brother against brother.
Palestinina are being divided and conquered.
Abbas is too weak to stand on his own he need the Isrealis favour,while Hamas seeks only unity.
It is the same case in Lebanon,a wetern oriented goverment who weeps and begs for mercy while Hez bollah fights...
That is the outcome,Inshallah,maybe in the future they will recognize the enemy wihin themselves and the enemy out side..
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Zulkiflim
Salaam,
As always the problem is simple misplaced trust.
Abbas believes the Israel and the US gov can be trusted to do what is right.
Or maybe Abbas is a stooge of the powers to ensure that a goveremtn rises that is compliant to Isrelais agenada.
Thus as always they use brother against brother.
Palestinina are being divided and conquered.
Abbas is too weak to stand on his own he need the Isrealis favour,while Hamas seeks only unity.
It is the same case in Lebanon,a wetern oriented goverment who weeps and begs for mercy while Hez bollah fights...
That is the outcome,Inshallah,maybe in the future they will recognize the enemy wihin themselves and the enemy out side..
At least Abbas seems to be more interested in a peace settlement instead of an endless cycle of death.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Keltoi
At least Abbas seems to be more interested in a peace settlement instead of an endless cycle of death.
Salaam,
Did you know that peace can be different for many people..
The Isrealis are murdering Palestinian for their peace,and as long as they have peace,then Palestinain dont matter.
For Abbas he is seeking temporal peace by again placing his trust on 2 regimes,the US and Isreal that support each toehr thru weapon support to murder civillians worldwide.
Abbas trust is misplaced,he seek money and think that makes the world go round.
Temporal peace,for Abbas is better than long time peace.
He want to be the head but wihout the body,Hamas was voted due to the corruption in Abbas party.
Hamas won th democractic election due to the people KNWOLEDGE that peace mean Isrealis peace,not Palestinain
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Zulkiflim
Salaam,
Did you know that peace can be different for many people..
The Isrealis are murdering Palestinian for their peace,and as long as they have peace,then Palestinain dont matter.
For Abbas he is seeking temporal peace by again placing his trust on 2 regimes,the US and Isreal that support each toehr thru weapon support to murder civillians worldwide.
Abbas trust is misplaced,he seek money and think that makes the world go round.
Temporal peace,for Abbas is better than long time peace.
He want to be the head but wihout the body,Hamas was voted due to the corruption in Abbas party.
Hamas won th democractic election due to the people KNWOLEDGE that peace mean Isrealis peace,not Palestinain
You think Hamas can bring long-term peace?
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
Did you know that peace can be different for many people..
No. Peace has a definition when it is refered to during a violent conflict.
The Isrealis are murdering Palestinian for their peace,and as long as they have peace,then Palestinain dont matter.
The Israeli's are attacking terrorists who hide behind children and attack innocent civilians. You would have no satisfaction unless the Israelis let Palestinians bomb them and then did nothing.
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Keltoi
You think Hamas can bring long-term peace?
Within the Palestinian community, yes.
Hamas can do it, but only by designating a common enemy of the community. That's where the road splits and the Palestinians make their own decisions.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Keltoi
You think Hamas can bring long-term peace?
Salaam,
They are the only one fighting for what is always their policy,a Palestinian State for Palestinian by Palestinians.
And they were voted for by the Palestiniansa.
And for execrising their right to have Jerusalem as the capital,all Palestinian are suffering due to exercising theri democratic right.
Hamas is the elected goverment and endorse but the world cannot accept the STATE OF WHY THEY WON.
The world especially US/ISrael donet to accept the fact why Hamas won,they want to change and thus that is why US is supplying weapon to Fatah in homes of carnage,murderer between brothers.
So Hamas has the will of the people,Fatah will blong to those who can give money.
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by lavikor201
No. Peace has a definition when it is refered to during a violent conflict.
The Israeli's are attacking terrorists who hide behind children and attack innocent civilians. You would have no satisfaction unless the Israelis let Palestinians bomb them and then did nothing.
Salaam,,
Yes peace has many definition,it is the opposite ov violence.
But for the Palestinain with their land earmarked for devolopment by Isrealis,land grab,farmer killed and so on....all these are not peace.
It is peace for Isrealis but not for Palestinains.
Take this into account,for peace and safety the US promotes and carries out wars IN PREEMTIVE STRIKES,,,for US peace and not for other reasons.
That has always been the charge by Isrealis,but we also have report by Isrealis newspapaer of ISrealis using Palestinian sheilds to kill Palestinian.
There was also a charge that Palestinain carried weapons in ambulances,it was then later reported that it was not Palestinain but ISrealis.
So when you want to mark down the other,accuse the other of the same WRONG you are doing.
I hope that the Palestinain wake up and realise who their enemy is.
What they seek,both Hamas and Fatah want JErusalem as capital,,as does Israel..
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
There was also a charge that Palestinain carried weapons in ambulances,it was then later reported that it was not Palestinain but ISrealis.
Many cases have reported Palestinians doing this. It is here way of fighting. If they fight soldiers, it is a war. If they fight innocent children by blowing them up, then it is terror.
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by lavikor201
Many cases have reported Palestinians doing this. It is here way of fighting. If they fight soldiers, it is a war. If they fight innocent children by blowing them up, then it is terror.
Salaam,
Yes many cases all accused by Isrealis,and documented by Isrealis.
But in the end the truth is clear,the liars are clear.
They say Peace but they still kill and murder for land.
Murder of men women and children all for Isrealis security.
As i said,peace is dependant on who is the recipient.
For now,Abbas being a stooge of world powers who recognise that he cannot survive wihout world intervention has laready placed all his hopen in his enemies hands.
He has tied his hands in fear of dying,but instead becomes a slave to man.
Re: Now 25 Palestinians dead because of Hamas-Fatah
format_quote Originally Posted by Zulkiflim
Salaam,
Yes many cases all accused by Isrealis,and documented by Isrealis.
But in the end the truth is clear,the liars are clear.
They say Peace but they still kill and murder for land.
Murder of men women and children all for Isrealis security.
As i said,peace is dependant on who is the recipient.
For now,Abbas being a stooge of world powers who recognise that he cannot survive wihout world intervention has laready placed all his hopen in his enemies hands.
He has tied his hands in fear of dying,but instead becomes a slave to man.
hamas and fatah holds the idea of what is Palestine ideals to be, therefor the conflict. has nothing to do with Israeli security the eilat suicide incident was implanted by fatah which are abbas's manpower not of hamas.
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