GAZA: Palestinian infighting rages on, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh called the gunmen to evacuate the streets

Gunbattles continued in the Gaza Strip Monday between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions, and at least one Hamas militant was shot dead. The violent struggle between President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group and the governing Hamas faction have killed at least 27 Palestinians since Thursday. Palestinian gunmen continued to battle in Gaza on Monday (January 29) for a fifth day after Fatah and Hamas agreed to a Saudi offer of talks in the holy city Mecca to try to end the fiercest internal fighting since Hamas won election a year ago. Gunbattles in Gaza City streets continued after during the night a Hamas militant was shot dead in a clash in the town of Khan Younis. The death raised to 27 the number of people killed since Thursday in gun battles between the Islamist group and the long-dominant Fatah faction of President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh called for the withdrawal of all gunmen from the streets including Abbas security forces. "Our battle is against the occupation, against the settlement and the wall, a battle against the judisation of Jerusalem and a battle to free the prisoners, not a Palestinian -Palestinian battle," added Haniyeh. Medical officials said a Hamas militant was shot dead in a clash in the town of Khan Younis, while two bodies -- identified by witnesses as Hamas loyals -- arrived at the morgue. Local residents said the men were shot by gunmen when they were driving their car. Gunmen blew up a Fatah office and the home of an official from the group, while others bombarded the headquarters of the Fatah-dominated Preventive Security service in Gaza City with mortar bombs. The attacks caused damage but no injuries. Hamas militants also abducted two Fatah members, including a local commander, Fatah officials said. The violence has prompted some families to evacuate homes near the scenes of gun battles that have spread across the narrow, densely populated territory where 1.5 million Palestinians live. Dozens of Palestinians and Hamas loyals march the streets of Gaza city in the funeral for Hamas man got killed last night. Fearing sniper fire, many parents have been keeping their children inside and away from windows. The fighting, which has erupted periodically since Hamas beat Fatah in a parliamentary election last January, has derailed unity talks between the groups. In all, 57 Palestinians have died in infighting since Abbas, a moderate, called last month for early presidential and parliamentary elections after inconclusive talks with Hamas on a unity government. Hamas says the voting would amount to a coup. It has struggled to govern since taking office in March under the weight of U.S.-backed sanctions imposed over its refusal to recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept existing interim peace deals with the Jewish state.

ITN Source | January 29, 2007

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