A Palestinian security source reported on Friday night that three Palestinians were killed, twenty others were injured, during an exchange of fire between fighters of the Popular Resistance Committees and an unknown armed group.
The source identified two of the casualties as Hisham Abu Taha, the assistance of one of the leaders of the Brigades, and Saif Ed Deen Al Hallous.
The clashes inflamed after the Spokesman of the Popular Resistance Committees, Abu Abeer, accused a Palestinian security device and some security figures of planning the assassination of Abu Yousef Al Qouqa, the general leader of Salah Ed Deen Brigades.
Abu Abeer said that the security device was spying on phone calls conducted by the fighters of the Committees and fighters of other resistance factions.
Al Qouqa was killed when a wired vehicle detonated as he was walked by it on his way to a mosque for Friday prayers.
Abu Abeer was holding a press conference when one of the guards of a P.A security figure opened fire at him; two children were injured.
During the funeral of Al Qouqa, some members of the brigades opened fire at unknown fighters and the houses of Palestinian figures the brigades accused of plotting the assassination.
The situation in Gaza remained tensed while exchanges of fire are being heard amongst fear the fighters of the brigades would attempt to target the figures accused of assassinating Al Qouqa.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya, denounced the assassination of Al Qouqa, and vowed to appoint a special committee to probe the incident and the violent clashes that followed it.
Haniyya demanded the armed wings to cease fire and not to “slide into the trap of infighting”.
He also pledged to end the public display of weapons in the Gaza Strip.
Talking to Reuters, Haniyya said that he asked his interior minister, Sa’id Syam, to conduct an immediate investigation into the death of Abu Qouqa, and the latest violent clashes.
