A prominent member of the Palestinian militant Islamic movement Hamas, Bassam al-Fara, has been shot dead in the southern Gaza Strip. Mr Fara, who was also a judge, was killed outside a courthouse in the town of Khan Younis, reports say. Hamas' armed wing says the killing was the work of gunmen linked to its rival, Fatah. Fatah has not responded to the allegation. Tensions have been growing between Hamas and Fatah in the past few days. This follows a recent attack on a car belonging to a senior Fatah security official. He was not in the vehicle, but three of his children were and they all died in the gunfire. Some in Fatah have openly accused Hamas of being behind that attack, but Hamas has denied this.
