Sunday evening, Palestinian medical sources in Gaza reported that five residents were killed and at least seven were injured in several shooting incidents that took place in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip and in Al Shaty’ refugee camp.
A Palestinian security source reported that gun battles took place between members of the Palestinian Authority’s executive force (which belongs to the Ministry of Interior) and members of the Affana family, killing three.
According to local sources, today’s in-fighting appears to be related to clashes that took place four days ago and claimed the life of one member of the Affana family who was working as an officer at the Preventive Security Force. After the family member was killed, three residents from Al Bal’awy, Al Kurdy and Al Hamarna families were killed (apparently in retaliation) and three others were injured.
The situation at the camp is still filled with tension, with ongoing clashes and exchanges of fire.
In a separate incident in Khan Younis, two residents were killed and three others injured, including a child, after gunmen opened fire at a vehicle they were driving.
Palestinian security sources in Khan Younis reported that a pregnant woman was shot dead and another woman and a man were seriously injured during a fire exchange between members of Hamas and Fateh. Two bystanders were injured.
Resident Reem Al Ghalian, who was eight months pregnant, was shot and killed after sustaining rounds of live ammunition to several parts of her body. Al Ghalian is the wife of one of the leaders of the Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
Eyewitnesses reported that that gunmen fired at a Magnum jeep at the entrance of Khan Younis. Mohammad Al Ghalian, a member of the Al Qassam Brigades, was driving the jeep. Reem Al Ghalian was killed, while the brother of her husband and a child who was with them were injured.
Also, two members of the rival Fateh movement were shot dead after an unknown armed group fired at a mourning tent during a funeral in Al Shaty’ refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
The mourners’ tent was set up in the home of Khader Affana, an officer of the Preventative Security. Affana was killed several days ago, also by unidentified gunmen.
Tensions between Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip has been increasing since the economic siege and Israeli occupation have made food, water and other necessities nearly impossible to obtain.
The Al Aqsa brigades, the military wing of Fateh movement, announced that it intends to mobilize 1300 fighters across Gaza. The Brigades said that this force is intended to fight the penetrations of the under-cover forces of the Israeli army into Gaza and to aid the Palestinian security forces combating violence in Gaza.
The force was established and deployed after Hamas mobilized a security force in recent weeks in Gaza, a force that has been implicated in gun battles with Fateh members and members of the Palestinian security forces. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that he will not visit the Gaza Strip as long as the Hamas security apparatus is in force.
