Thousands of Hamas supporters poured into the streets of the Gaza Strip after Friday prayers to denounce one of Fatah's most powerful leaders, ratcheting up tensions between the rival Palestinian factions. Both the ruling Hamas movement and once-dominant Fatah have mounted large rallies in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in recent days, trying to whip up public support and project strength. At least 30 Palestinians have been killed in factional fighting since President Mahmoud Abbas called last month for early elections to try to break a deadlock with Hamas.Hamas supporters emerged from mosques on Friday waving green Hamas flags and chanted slogans accusing Mohammad Dahlan, a Fatah strongman and possible successor to Abbas, of being the mastermind of a "coup" against its nine-month-old government. "Dahlan is a traitor," they chanted. Hamas accused Dahlan in December of masterminding a plot to kill Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, a charge Dahlan denied.
Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, a Fatah spokesman, accused Hamas of trying to spark more fighting. "We urge Hamas to return to its senses before it is too late," he said.
The Islamic militant group, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction, took control of the Palestinian government in March after beating Fatah in parliamentary elections.