Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Thursday night that the presidential guard forces withdrew from the Islamic University in Gaza two hours after breaking into it. Israeli sources claimed that six Iranian weapon experts were abducted in the raid.Head of the University, Kamaleen Shaath, said that the forces withdrew from the campus and are currently stationed around it.
Meanwhile, armed clashes are still ongoing in the area between Executive Force members, loyal to Hamas, and the presidential guards around the campus.
Israeli sources claimed that the Presidential Guards abducted seven Iranians in the university, according to the sources the seven Iranians are \’weapons experts\’. Hamas officially denied the claim and said that no Iranians were present at the university.
At least one Hamas member was seriously injured during the raid. Ahmad Jaabari is believed to be the mastermind of the cross-border attacks carried by Palestinian fighters last June. During the attack, corporal Gilad Shalit was abducted, two soldiers and two fighters were killed in the ensuing gun battle.
On Thursday, six Palestinians were killed and at least seventy were injured in exchanges of fire between Fateh and Hamas gunmen.
>Updated from; P.A security men break into the Islamic University in Gaza on Friday February 02, 2007 – 02:00.
The sources stated that the security men are carrying wide-scaled searches in the university which is considered one of the most important institutions controlled by Hamas.
Eyewitnesses reported that smoke was seen rising from the area surrounding the university.
Hamas spokesperson, Ayman Taha, confirmed the attack and said the presidential guards, under the control of president Mahmoud Abbas, broke into the University.
Taha held Abbas responsible for the current deterioration and said that breaking into the university is an \’unjustified and unaccepted act\’
Taha added that Hamas could carry out similar attacks but \’it is practicing self restraint\’. Islam Shahwan, spokesperson of the Hamas-formed Executive Force, called on the presidential guards to retreat and threatened that his forces will carry a massive attack against these forces if they do not withdraw.
In a separate incident, the presidential guards broke into the Ministry of Interior in Gaza and abducted everybody who was there. Only a limited number of employees work at the headquarters since the employees were moved to other headquarters after the Israeli Air Force shelled it twice.
