Gaza protests
Photo: AP
Haniyeh. Assures father
Photo: Reuters
Gaza: 4 wounded in protests following child murders
Fatah activists open fire at Hamas Interior Ministry, block main intersections in protest following murdered children's funeral in Gaza. Haniyeh assures children's father justice will be served
Four people were wounded in violent confrontations that took place in Gaza on Tuesday, following the murder of
three of a Fatah senior officer's children Monday.
Children as Targets
Ali Waked and AP
Tensions grow between Hamas, Fatah following murder of three young sons of Fatah official. Gaza's former mufti rules that murderers must be executed; top Fatah official Mohammad Dahlan wipes tear, warns if Hamas fails to arrest killers, 'we'll take measures this government has yet to witness'
Fatah gunmen opened fire towards the Hamas-run Palestinian Interior Ministry, no one was injured.
Simultaneously, hundreds of Palestinian security officials protested in a few of Gaza City's main intersections. During the protests, the officials fired shots in the air and called for vengeance.
Tuesday morning, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, assured Palestinian Intelligence Senior Officer Baha Ballousheh, the father of the three murdered children, that "the government will do whatever it takes to locate the children's murderers and prosecute them."
Haniyeh made this call just a few hours after the children's tension filled funeral.
During the funeral Gaza's former Mufti Abd El Karim Kahlut ruled a death sentence on the murderers. Nonetheless, Haniyeh rejected Fatah's demand that his government be dismissed following the anarchy in the Authority.
Hamas published an announcement saying that those responsible for the murder have an interest in igniting and provoking the internal Palestinian scene.
"We caution against exploiting this incident for a political battle in the Authority," Hamas threatened.
Tuesday's demonstrations (Photo: AFP)
'We'll 'execute those involved in murders'
Hamas Member Ismail El Ashkar went so far as to state that those who truly benefited from the murder are the Fatah activists that initiated the revolt against the elected Palestinian government.
On the other hand, members of the Fatah movement are furious. Fatah security officers said that "there cannot be a situation in which children are murdered and no one is held accountable."
An official announcement by the Intelligence unit in which the children's father served, called for the dismissal of the ruling government.
A less official, but more violent response came from al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's military wing, who swore to get revenge and execute those involved in the murders.
Head of the Fatah Parliamentary bloc, Azzam Al-Ahmad called on the Hamas government to resign due to the dead end reached on unity talks. Al-Ahmad denied claims that Fatah planned to overthrow the Hamas government by force.
Palestinian officials said Tuesday morning that in light of this incident, the chances of forming a Palestinian unity government are weak and that it is more likely that President Mahmoud Abbas would announce the formation of an interim government made up of professionals, until the next elections in the Authority.
