"Since the Hamas takeover in June, there are two militias left in the
Gaza Strip -- Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees," a
security source said. "Both organizations have friends in Iran and Syria."
[On Tuesday, Hamas forces clashed with the Dughmoush clan, the most
powerful family in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian security sources said two
Hamas officers were killed in Gaza City.]
In early August, Hamas's Executive Force clashed several times with
Jihad fighters in the regime's effort to halt the display of weapons in the
Gaza Strip. The sources said the fighting ended through intervention by Iran
and Syria, which has assisted both Hamas and Jihad.
Since then, the sources said, Hamas has been quietly meeting Jihad and
other militias to discuss the new security measures. The representatives
were said to have been offered financial and other incentives to leave their
organizations and form an umbrella group aligned with Hamas.
"Hamas wants to eliminate all rival factions and show unanimous public
support for its Gaza plan," a Jihad operative said.
So far, the Hamas-aligned umbrella group contains several new splinter
factions. Fatah Al Yassir, founded by Fatah official Khalid Abu Hillal, a
former Interior Ministry spokesman, operates a military wing in the Gaza
Strip. Another faction was founded by two leaders of the Popular Resistance
Committees, Amr Kurmout and Kamal Al Nirib.