Hamas fighter killed, nine injured in internal clashes in Gaza

Wednesday March 14, 2007 02:11 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Tuesday night that a Hamas fighter was killed and nine others were injured during internal clashes that took place in Gaza City.

Gaza clashes - archive

Dr. Jom'a Al Saqqa, head of the Al Shifa hospital in Gaza reported that Ala' Al Haddad, 35, was killed after he was hit by several rounds of live ammunition.

Al Saqqa added that four members of the Executive Force, formed by Hamas, were injured after shots were fired at them as they were patrolling Asqoula area, in Gaza City. Two of them are in serious conditions.

Five Palestinian civilians were injured during further clashes that took place in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Abu Obeida, media spokesperson of the Al Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, accused “suspicious gunmen” of executing Al Haddad and injuring several members of the brigades.

According to Abu Obeida, basic leads are hinting that members of the Preventive Security Force, loyal to Fateh movement, are behind the attack.

The Preventive Security Force (PSF) officially decline any relation to the attack. The force demanded that Al Qassam brigades, and Hamas, “should wait and examine the incident before starting to throw accusations”.

The force stated that the vehicle of the killed resident was stolen during the clashes that took place before the Mecca unity deal, and that he found his vehicle with Hamas members of the Executive Force.

According to the PSF, family members, all part of the Executive Force, took by force the vehicle of a Gaza resident, and when family members retrieved the car, clashes took place leading to several casualties.

gaza strip | internal unrest | news report saed at imemc dot org