Hamas accuses Fatah of attempting to prolong Gaza siege

Wednesday December 26, 2007 16:36 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC

The ruling Hamas movement in Gaza accused its rival Fatah party Wednesday of attempting to further tighten the siege being imposed on the Gaza Strip, where Hamas wrestles control for the past six months.

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Hamas's spokesperson, Fawzi Barhoum, criticized in a statement, faxed to press, the latest Fatah's spokesperson's remarks on alleged infiltration of Fatah Al-Islam, into the Hamas-run coastal region, as 'an attempt to prolong the blockade of Gaza'.

Barhoum said " every single Palestinian has the right to resist the Israeli occupation, in a time Israel is targeting all those who adhere to the Palestinian national legitimate rights".

Ahmad Abdelrhaman, Fatah spokesperson in Ramallah, held Hamas yesterday responsible for what he called ' likely negative consequences' of the existence of Fatah Al-Islam group, which has been engaged in a fight with the Lebanese army over the past several months.

Abdelrahman considered presence of such a controversial group as a threat to Gaza's security, which has been destabilized since Fatah and Hamas have been involved in a power struggle over the past year.

Media reports have recently said that a new group, calling itself Fatah Al-Islam had claimed responsibility for firing homemade shells onto nearby Israeli areas.

At least 12 people have been reportedly wounded over Tuesday's night, when an underground tunnel on Gaza-Egypt border line has collapsed.

Israel, which has been placing Gaza under strict closure, since Hamas seized control over there in June, has been blaming the Egyptian authorities of not doing enough against what Israel says ' smuggling of weapons and personnel' into Gaza through border tunnels.

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