Channels

Photo: AFP
Members of security unit set up by Hamas
Photo: AFP

Gaza: Jordanian killed in crossfire

Employee of Jordanian embassy in Gaza killed during exchanges of fire between PA police officers and Hamas’ newly-established security unit; Jordan demands Authority investigate incident. Meanwhile, Egyptian security delegation to Strip holds new round of talks between Fatah, Hamas officials in bid to curb rising tension

An employee of the Jordanian embassy in Gaza was killed Monday in gun battles between Palestinian police officers and members of Hamas’ newly-established security unit.

 

Jordan has demanded that the Authority investigate the embassy staffer’s death.

 

Palestinian sources said the Jordanian citizen, who worked as an embassy driver, was killed in exchanges of gunfire near the Palestinian parliament building in Gaza.

 

Earlier it was reported that fresh clashes erupted between Hamas and Fatah gunmen, leaving a Palestinian man dead and six injured. Eyewitnesses said members of a special security unit recently set up by the Hamas-led government in defiance of Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah-faithful Palestinian Authority policemen exchanged fire Monday afternoon.

 

Meanwhile, an Egyptian security delegation to the Gaza Strip held a new round of talks on Monday between Fatah and Hamas officials in a bid to curb rising tension between the rival parties ahead of Thursday talks between Palestinian factions.

 

Mediators hope to avert all-out confrontation

 

Two assassination attempts targeting two senior Fatah-affiliated security officials were linked to the power struggle between the Hamas-led government and the Fatah-dominated presidency.

 

A bomb was found Sunday outside the Gaza home of Rashid Abu Shbak, a member of Abbas's Fatah movement who is in charge of several branches of the Palestinian security services, a day after General Intelligence chief Tareq Abu Rajab's survived an explosion at the PA intelligence headquarters.

 

Egyptian mediators hope they can avert all-out confrontation between Hamas and Fatah. Hopes are that Thursday's talks between Palestinian factions, hosted by Abbas and Hamas' Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, will ease tensions between Fatah and Hamas supporters on the streets of Gaza. 

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.22.06, 18:03
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment