|
21 killed in weekend of factional clashes in Gaza
 | The numbers go up so quickly we at Rantburg can't keep up. |
Six Palestinians were killed Saturday - including a 6-year-old boy - in clashes between Fatah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, bringing the number of fatalities since fighting began Thursday to 21.
The fighting between the rival Palestinian factions continued throughout the weekend, despite a cease-fire agreement reached on Friday.
The incidents began on Thursday night, following the death of a Hamas militant who was killed in a car bomb in the Jabalya refugee camp.
Heh. I love this part.
Hamas blamed Fatah for the blast, but the group affiliated with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas maintained that the explosion was the result of a "work accident," a euphemism for an accidental blast resulting from the preparation of an explosive device.
LOLOL! The paleos got this phrase from the blogs. LOLOL.
| He starts blaming mixups with red and green wires and we're all going to feel psychic. |
On Friday, 14 people were killed in the Gaza Strip, including a two-year-old toddler who was killed by Fatah gunfire. Six Palestinians were killed Saturday, and dozens were injured. At least 50 militants from both groups were abducted and are being hld hostage.
Early Friday morning, a senior Fatah terrorist official, Nabil al-Jarjir, was assassinated, after Hamas claimed he was involved in the blast that killed one of their members on Thursday night. The murder resulted in gunbattles throughout the Gaza Strip.
The two-year-old was killed when a Fatah gunman fired against a passing car in Khan Yunis, suspecting it was carrying Hamas militants.
| Drive-by's in Newark are more accurate than that. |
Another Hamas militant was shot dead while driving, as he called out to passersby to attend a Hamas demonstration.
Friday night, Fatah and Hamas representatives met with Interior Minister Saeed Sayam, but the meeting did not result in an effective cease-fire and the clashes continued. A special Fatah force managed to rescue a senior official, Mohammed al-Shlayel, whose home was besieged by Hamas militants. Seven Haman gunmen were killed in the incident and dozens were injured.
| Update at 0015 EST: loyal citizen mhw comments that the toll now is 24. Keep it coming, kids! |
Posted by: Brett 2007-01-28 |
