Internal clashes in the Gaza Strip had escalated leaving more Palestinians killed and injured as gunmen of Hamas and Fateh exchanged fire in several areas. Hamas stated in an official press release that “its patience has limits”, and called on the Palestinian president, government, factions and the Higher Follow-up Committee to intervene immediately to stop these attacks.The movement stated that Fateh gunmen killed three residents on Sunday and fired at the house of Hamas legislator Mosheer Al Masry.
Hamas held Fateh responsible for the current escalation and called on Abbas to stop these incidents before that whole area is dragged into clashes that “will not exclude anyone”.
The movement also said that a group which belongs to Palestinian security devices and Fateh movement abducted on Sunday at least 70 residents, members or supporters of Hamas.
Hamas added that it has no connection in any way with the death of Bahaa Abu Jarad, a senior Fateh fighter who was killed on Sunday by gunmen in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Two comrades of Abu Jarad were also killed in the attack. Fateh officially accused Hamas gunmen of carrying these attacks.
In an official stated, the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said that it has no relation with the killing of Abu Jarad “despite the fact that he is behind the killing of Sheikh Majid Abu Darabi”, and added that he has serious conflicts with Fateh and with several Palestinian families.
The movement added that the brother of Abu Jarad, who was with him when he was killed, opened fire at a resident passing by the area after the attack took place, and killed him.
Also on Sunday, Suleiman Al Ashi, 25, a Palestinian reporter working with the Palestine Daily newspaper, was killed by gunmen in Gaza, and his colleague Mohammad Abdu was seriously injured.
The newspaper slammed the attack and said that gunmen abducted two of its reporters south west of Gaza City.
It stated that the attack took place despite the presence of Palestinian security forces in the area, close to the residence of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and called on the president and the government to intervene and release all abducted residents and reporters.
It demanded all institutions and factions to end the chaos and act against these attacks that further destabilized the Palestinian territories.
Moreover, Hamas said that Fateh gunmen abducted Dr. Ali Al Shareef, 70, a lecturer at the Islamic University in Gaza city after attacking and beating him.
His wife stated that he and her daughter were abducted by the gunmen, and that he is suffering from several illnesses which could endanger his life if her remains captive.
Hamas sources also accused the Presidential Guards of abducting two Palestinian youth in the central Gaza Strip.
The Recent clashes in the Gaza Strip were seen as serious escalations that could drag the Gaza Strip into a new and continuous wave of deadly clashes between Fateh and Hamas gunmen.
Meanwhile, several Palestinian factions, organizations and institutions called on ending all sorts of chaos and internal clashes in the Palestinian territories.
As Fateh and Hamas gunmen trade accusations and continue to exchange fire, and as the internal situation in Gaza worsened, several Israeli leaders stated on Sunday that Israel is considering a large military offensive “to stop the firing of homemade shells”.
Also on Sunday, one Palestinian died of earlier wounds sustained three weeks ago after the Israeli army shelled an area in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
