Palestinian legislator, and senior Fateh leader, Mohammad Dahlan, said
during a Friday press conference that accusing him by Hamas leaders of
attempting to assassinate Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya, is a clear
lie and an an attempt to cover-up the crime that led to the death of
three children in Gaza.
Dahlan stated that Hamas gunmen were the ones who fired lat Monday at the vehicle of Major Baha' Balousha, killing his three children on their way to school, instead of him; the three children are Osama, 10, Ahmad, 6, and Salam, 3 years old.
He added that Hamas knows the killers of the three children, and is covering the case because the attackers are members of Hamas.
Also, Dahlan stated that surveillance cameras at the Rafah Borders Crossing showed Hamas gunmen breaking into the crossing causing damage to the property.
Commenting on the direct accusation voiced by Hamas against Dahlan and linking him with the attack against Haniyya, Dahlan said that “this is a new scandal by Hamas”.
He also accused the Hamas-led Palestinian government of participating in chaos and insecurity, and demanded Hamas “to admit to its mistakes”.
“I am not afraid, no worried that I might die”, Dahlan stated, “I was wanted by Israel, and was chased by the soldiers, but I was never worried”.
Earlier on Friday, Hamas directly accused Dahlan and members of the Presidential Security Guards of planning and carrying the attack against Haniyya after he crossed into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Border Crossing.
Ismail Radwan Hamas media spokesperson, said that the group that fired at Haniyya was led by Dahlan who planned the attack, according to Radwan.
Palestinian Chief negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, slammed that statements of Hamas and considered them an invitation for the murder of Dahlan.
He added that the deadly shooting in Gaza and Ramallah are signaling further violence and bloody internal clashes, and said that accusations should stop and that all parties should investigate all of the incidents.
On the ground, at least 31 Palestinians were injured in the West Bank city of Ramallah during armed clashes the took place between Fateh and Hamas gunmen.
