Special to WorldTribune.com

GAZA CITY — The failure of the Palestinian Authority to deploy its troops has resulted in a security vacuum in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources said the resignation of the Hamas government has sparked a security vacuum in the Gaza Strip. They said the PA was refusing to send troops to restore order in the Hamas-ruled strip.

“Unofficially, Hamas has not given up any control and the PA is still scared to restore its presence,” a source said.

The security vacuum was highlighted during the failed attempt to commemorate the anniversary of the death of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. The Fatah movement said the commemoration would not take place on Nov. 11 after a series of explosions that targeted Arafat loyalists.

“Gaza security services asked the workers who were fixing the stage at Al Katiba square in Gaza City to stop working and leave,” Fatah leader Zakariya Al Agha said.

Fatah said Hamas warned that security for Arafat’s commemoration could not be guaranteed. On Nov. 7, bombs were detonated near the homes of at least eight Fatah leaders, several of whom blamed Hamas.

Under a reconciliation accord signed in June 2014, the PA was assigned to deploy 3,000 officers in the Gaza Strip. Instead, the Fatah-Hamas agreement resulted in a cutoff of funds to 16,000 Hamas security officers.

So far, the PA has allowed Hamas’ military and security forces to remain intact. The Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry issued a statement that security would not be provided for the Arafat commemoration, meant to have been the first since the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

“This is because of the serious tension within the public and the trading of accusations after the suspicious explosions in Gaza, as well as other logistic difficulties,” Interior Ministry spokesman Iyad Al Buzum said.

  Palestinian Authority said too ‘scared’ to fill security vacuum in Gaza, WorldTribune.com