Clashes in Gaza leave 25 dead
Twenty-five Palestinians have been killed and dozens injured in several days of violence sparked when a Hamas operative was killed by a bomb in Gaza, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.
The dead include five people killed Sunday and three people killed Saturday near the Islamic University in Gaza in clashes between Hamas and Fatah. Eight Hamas members and two Fatah members died Friday in a gun battle in Jebaliya, near the home of Fatah member Mansur Shalayil.
Also, in a wave of kidnappings Friday, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades — Fatah’s militant wing — kidnapped 11 Hamas members in Gaza and nine more in Nablus, while eight Fatah members were kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza, sources said. Palestinian security sources said the nine kidnapped in Nablus have since been released.
Spokesmen for the two groups said Friday Hamas and Fatah have suspended talks because of the violence between the rival Palestinian factions. The groups have differences in ideology and vision over what a Palestinian state should be and how it should be formed.
Hamas, which has controlled the Palestinian government since last year’s historic elections, refuses to recognize the existence of Israel, a prerequisite laid down by Western nations if a freezing of funds to the Palestinian territory is to be lifted.
Talks between Hamas and Fatah are aimed at sharing power in the government.
Palestinian legislator Saeb Erekat told CNN that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has declared that if an agreement on a unity government is not reached within three weeks, then Abbas will issue a presidential decree ordering early elections.
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