Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya, Hamas, said on Tuesday at night after meeting Fateh officials that the two parties had agreed to work together in order to stop the in-fighting between the two groups in Gaza.
At least twelve residents were injured as a result of the clashes between the two groups; three men were killed.
Haniyya stated that he “is sure that the Palestinian people will use dialogue as their only tool”.
Both Fateh and Hamas issued a joint statement and stated that gunmen from both groups will not enjoy immunity if they were involved in any further clashes.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that these clashes are “unfortunate and unacceptable” and called on both factions to end these clashes.
Moreover, Khaled Mashal, leader of Hamas in Syria, and Farouq Kaddoumi, one of the leaders Fateh and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), made an urgent call for calm among the Palestinians after the clashes renewed in the Gaza Strip.
Anwar Abdul-Hadi, the advisor of Kaddoumi, issued a statement urging Fateh and Hamas members in the West Bank and Gaza to preserve the interests of the Palestinian people and the national rights.
He also called on the two groups to preserve the national unity and to be committed to calm and law.
Abdul-Hadi added that Mashal and Kaddoumi held talks over the situation in the territories and the necessity to restore calm, and rebuilding the PLO.
Four Palestinians injured in renewed clashes in Khanyounis
IMEMC Staff, 2006-05-10, 01:12
On Tuesday evening four more Palestinians were injured during renewed fighting between members of Fatah and Hamas in the Eastern area of Khanyounis in the southern part of the Gaza strip.
Palestinian sources say that the fighting reoccurred’ following the funeral of two of the men killed in Mondays’ clashes at Abasan east of Khanyounis.
Palestinian Medical sources state the injuries suffered by the four ranged from minor to moderate.
Hamas deny involvement with the clashes and claim that some members of Palestinian security forces fired at civilian houses.
Hamas media spokes person Sami Abu Zuhri denounced the clashes saying that they do not serve the interests of the Palestinian people.
In the earlier clashes where ten residents were injured five were children.
Salah Bardaweel, the spokesperson of the Hamas bloc at the Palestinian Legislative Council, held members of the Preventive Security devices responsible for firing at the vehicle of Sayyed Abu Msamih, one of the Hamas legislators who was traveling with Ahmad Yousef, the advisor of the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya, Bardaweel stated that members of the preventative security fired directly at his vehicle and he also claimed that they assaulted him.
At least ten injured in Palestinian in-fight in Gaza
George Rishmawi-IMEMC & Agencies, 09:50
At least ten Palestinians, most of them, school students, were injured Tuesday morning as the fight between the Hamas ruling party and its rival Fatah continued in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources reported.
Joma’a Al-Saqa, chief medic at Al-Shifa’ hospital in Gaza city said there were no serious wounds however most of the injured were school students, caught in clashes on their way to school in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood of the city.
On Monday, armed gunmen from Al-Aqsa martyr brigade, the armed wing of Fatah kidnapped three members of Al-Qassam brigade, the armed wing of Hamas it is not known where they were taken , according to eyewitnesses.
Earlier on Monday, Hamas men kidnapped a Fatah operative in Al-Daraj neighborhood of the city, local sources reported.
All those kidnapped were released a few hours later which restored relative calm to the region.
However, clashes erupted when a vehicle carrying armed gunmen from Al-Qassam brigade approached the house of Samir Masharawi, a senior Fatah leader and kidnapped another three of Masharawi’s guards.
On Monday, three Palestinians were killed in fighting , two from Fatah and one from Hamas.
A source at the Aqsa Martyrs brigade said the crisis is about to be solved and that intensive meetings are being held to contain the crisis.
One Hamas member, Mu’tasim Haniya, nephew of the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniya, is still held captive by Fatah militants.
