A Hamas gunman was killed and five others wounded in renewed shootouts in Gaza, despite deployment of the security forces and agreement on a ceasefire late on Monday.
Media sources reported that a presidential guards force shot dead Tuesday morning a gunman linked to the Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
A statement by the Alqassam brigades accused the presidential guards of killing its member on a roadblock in Gaza city.
“We will deal with the killing of our member the way we deal with the Israeli occupation’s spies”, said the statement.
Meanwhile, witnesses said that members of the Al-Qassam brigades and the executive force, affiliated with Hamas, blockaded a presidential guards’ outpost in eastern Gaza, right after the death of Alqassam gunman.
These fresh developments came despite the agreement between Hamas and Fatah on renewing the ceasefire and pulling out all their militants from streets.
The agreement, brokered by Egyptian officials and patronized by the Palestinian government, stipulated fanning out of governmental security forces across the Gaza Strip.
At least 10 people have been killed since Friday, as the Palestinian interior minister, Hani Alqawasmi, resigned yesterday for being unable to secure cooperation by the rival parties.
Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya of Hamas, has assumed the profile of interior minister, following the resignation, which commentators believe would have serious repercussions on the two-month old Palestinian unity government, comprised of Fatah and Hamas.
Gaza internal unrest over the past 14 months has claimed the lives of at least 400 people, while an international economic embargo continues since a Hamas-led government has been installed after last January’s parliamentary elections.
