16 killed in infighting in Gaza bringing the death toll to 33 this week

Wednesday May 16, 2007 15:12

by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian sources have reported the arrival of seven new dead bodies to several hospitals as the clashes in the Gaza Strip intensify.

The number of people killed on Wednesday now stands at 16, with infighting between Fatah and Hamas having claimed the lives of a total of 33 people so far this week.

There is still no concrete figure on the number of injuries due to the difficulty that ambulances are facing in reaching certain areas of the region, but medical sources have stated that at least 100 hundred injured people currently lie injured in hospitals across Gaza.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, six Palestinian security guards were killed as internal clashes renewed in several parts of Gaza city, the deadliest being in the Tal Al Hawa neighborhood where gunmen surrounded the house of Rashid Abu Shubak, the director of the internal security forces in the Palestinian Authority.

Witnesses told Palestinian media that the gunmen showered the house of Shubak with mortar shells and live rounds, killing four of his bodyguards and injuring another 12. Local sources reported that Al Shubak’s guards managed to help his family escape before the gunmen stormed the house. Medical sources reported that among those killed were Al Abd Rabuh and Ahmad Hamida.

Later in the day, a nurse traveling in an ambulance was shot in the head after being caught in the crossfire, hospital officials said. The officials reported that she had died, but the woman's family later said she was brain dead and being kept alive by a respirator. Shortly after this, a Palestinian security officer from was shot and killed while standing at his post near the UNRWA building in Gaza city. Several others were injured in this attack.

Also on Wednesday, medical sources reported the death of Hassan Swedan after he was hit by sniper fire from the Al Noor tower in Gaza.

The streets of central Gaza City still echoed with the rattle of machine gun fire, even after the Palestinian Prime Minister Isma'l Hannia met with different Palestinian factional leaders and declared a truce in the clash.