Two more people were killed on Saturday and abductions resumed in what is considered to be the harshest Palestinian infighting in weeks in different parts of the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian medical sources announced on Saturday the killing of two Palestinians, Khalil Alkhatib, 17, and Mohammad Khattab, 33, during infighting that ensued today in Gaza City.
The most recent killings have raised the death toll from factional clashes over the past couple of days to at least 20. Scores more have been wounded, including children.
Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said that a number of Hamas gunmen attacked a Palestinian national security patrol, beating the personnel severely and setting fire to their vehicle in the Nasr Street in central Gaza City.
Also, Hamas gunmen abducted today the nephew of an Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades leader in the northern Gaza Strip, Jamal Abu Eljidyan. Witnesses said that Ammar Abu Eljidyan and others were kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination.
In a similar abduction, local sources confirmed that the nephew of Fatah spokesman, Abdelhakim Awad, was abducted by Hamas militants near the Alshifa hospital in Gaza City. The abducted was taken to an unknown destination.
Throughout the day today, shootings have been heard in different parts of Gaza City in the third day of infighting between Hamas and Fatah supporters that has claimed lives of at least 20 Palestinians including a two-year old boy and wounded scores of others, including passers by.
Several local bodies condemned the ongoing factional infighting and called on all parties concerned to keep restraint and return to dialogue to solve their differences. Both Hamas and Fatah, the major rivalry parties, blamed each other for the breakout of violence and declared boycotting of a national unity government talks until violence comes to a halt.
