Monday, Palestinian medical sources in Gaza reported that one Fateh gunman was killed, and one was injured, after midnight during renewed clashes between Fateh and Hamas gunmen in Abasan town, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The Fateh member killed in the clashes was identified as Mohammad Abu T’ema, 23. He suffered several rounds of live ammunition and died of his wounds at a Gaza hospital.
Sources in Hamas movement reported that an armed Fateh group attempted to abduct a member of the movement in Abasan, and that fighters of the Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, exchanged fire with them killing one and injuring another.
Meanwhile, sources in Fateh reported a different version of the incident, and stated that two of its members were ambushed by Hamas gunmen in Abasan.
In a separate incident, two residents were injured in clashes between Fateh and Hamas gunmen in Bani Soheila town, close to Abasan.
The Al Aqsa Martyres Brigades, the military wing of Fateh, declared a “state of emergency” among its members and the members of Fateh in Palestine and in exile.
The Brigades added that it will “publicly execute” anyone who attacks the leaders and members of Fateh movement.
The confrontations were triggered, in part, by Hamas’ decision to deploy its own 3,000-strong security force, formed by the Hamas-led government, parallel to the Fatah-dominated police force and security services.
Also, Palestinian security forces reported on Sunday they had foiled an attempt to assassinate a top commander loyal to Abbas.
A bomb weighing 70 kg (154 lbs) was found and defused outside the Gaza Strip home of Rashid Abu Shbak.
Head of the general Intelligence in Gaza, Tareq Abu Rajab, was badly injured on Saturday by an explosion in Gaza, one of his aides was killed in the attack which was described by the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, as an assassination attempt.
