Gaza infighting: Hit targets intelligence chief

According to Palestinian witnesses in Gaza, an explosion tore through the intelligence headquarters in the city, killing one and wounding five more, including Abu Rajab, who suffered light wounds. According to a separate report, Abu Rajab was wounded when gunmen opened fired in his direction.

Magen David Adom forces evacuate Gaza intelligence chief (Photo: AP) 

He was taken to the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv for medical treatment. Abu Rajab is suffering from wounds all over his body, particularly in the limbs, stomach and chest, and is being anesthetized and ventilated.

The meeting participants decided to set up a special commission of inquiry. According to the Interior Ministry staff, if it turns out that the incident was not a malfunction but an assassination attempt, efforts would be exerted into reaching the criminals and putting them on trial.

The Palestinian General Intelligence also announced it would establish an inquiry committee to look into the blast's circumstances.

Officials at the Palestinian security establishment said that Hamas and its affiliated organizations were behind the assassination attempt. However, the Hamas-led Palestinian government expressed its regret over the incident.

The government spokesman said: "We express our deep regret and wish Abu Rajab and the wounded a speedy recovery, and express our condolences to the family of the person killed."

"Prime Minister (Ismail) Haniyeh is following the developments of the investigation along with the interior minister. The government is interested in a speedy investigation of the incident in order to be familiar with its circumstances. We must not hurry to cast accusations, as these accusations may raise the tension on the Palestinian street," the spokesman added.

Armed security forces in Gaza City (Photo: AP)

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who is currently in Egypt for the World Economic Forum, said in response to the assassination attempt: "This is a highly worrying and annoying incident. This incident constitutes a grave threat and danger to the Palestinian Authority."

Abbas added that he issued on official order to set up a commission of inquiry into the circumstances of the blast.

Abu Rajab has been mentioned in the past as one of the senior Palestinian officials that aided Israel in the assassination last month of Abu Youssef al Quqa, chief of the Popular Resistance Committee’s armed wing the Salah al-Din Brigades.

Exchanges of fire resumed

The circumstances of the blast were not yet clear, although in Gaza Saturday tensions ran extremely high. Sources told Ynet that intermittent gunbattles had erupted between Palestinian police, who are under the authority of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, and members of the new security force set up this week by the Hamas-led government, in direct defiance of Abbas’ orders.

The renewed tensions between the factions in the Palestinian territories come after a series of meetings Friday attended by Internal and National Security minister Said Siyam with commanders of the Palestinian security forces, in attempt to find a solution between their ranks and the new security wing established by Hamas.

However, Saturday morning the violence was renewed and a number of security officers were lightly wounded.

Meanwhile, the second-in-charge at the US State Department, Robert Zoellick, met Saturday with Abbas as the security situation continued to deteriorate in Gaza.

Abbas was to meet later Saturday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the second in a series of key bilateral sessions for the Palestinian leader on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in this southern Sinai resort.

Abbas was expected to press Zoellick to reverse Washington's aid boycott and will likely take that issue up again when he sees Mubarak, who has called for a resumption of funding.