GAZA CITY — The militia war in the Gaza Strip has continued despite
the escalation in Palestinian fighting with Israel.
PA officials said Hamas and Fatah forces have been battling in such
towns as Gaza City, Khan Yunis and Rafah. They said the fighting has pitted
rival security agencies of the Palestinian Authority.
On Monday, Fatah fighters abducted a Palestinian legislator from Hamas
as well as a senior operative of the movement, Middle East Newsline reported. The kidnappings sparked gun
battles in the area and hours later both were released.
In Ramallah, Fatah fighters stormed the Palestinian Legislative Council
and the office of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. Haniya was not in Ramallah
during the attack, in which equipment was destroyed and rooms torched.
"The president strongly condemns the attacks and the assault against the
public institutions and the building that took place in the West Bank
tonight," a statement by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said on late Monday.
Officials said Abbas has declared an emergency and placed security
forces on alert. Abbas has also appointed Maj. Gen. Abdul Razik Al Majaydeh
as his security adviser.
In Rafah, about 100 members of the new Hamas-aligned Interior Ministry
force, the Special Protection Forces Unit, stormed the Preventive Security
Apparatus compound. At least two people were killed and 17 others were
injured in the attack, in which Hamas fighters fired rocket-propelled
grenades.
On June 10, a PSA senior officer was killed in an ambush in Gaza City.
PSA identified the officer as Maj. Bassem Kutub, who resisted a Hamas
abduction and was then shot and killed.
"We call on rational members of Hamas to stop this crazy war as Israel
fires indiscriminately at Palestinians from the air, land and sea," PSA
said.
Earlier that day, Hamas operatives were said to have detonated a bomb
near the home of PSA commander Brig. Gen. Rashid Abu Shback. Nobody was
injured.
For its part, PSA has been targeting Hamas operatives, particularly in
the Jabalya refugee camp north of Gaza City. Several senior Hamas operatives
have been killed in bombings attributed to PSA over the last two weeks.
