Gunmen from the rival Hamas and Fatah movements battled in Gaza City for a third straight day, firing mortars and grenades in clashes that killed seven people in the increasingly bloody power struggle over the Palestinian government. "Take that, yew varmints!"
Saturday's deaths brought to 25 the number of Palestinians killed since Thursday, with at least 68 people wounded and efforts to forge a coalition government at a standstill.
"Mahmoud! Duck!"
"Aaaaaiiiieeee!"
"Dang! That's 26!"
The latest fighting, which began on late Thursday after a Hamas activist was killed in a bombing, has been among the deadliest in nearly two months of clashes.
"Tell 'em we need more ammunition up here!"
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, and a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, of Fatah, both appealed for calm.
"Calm, youse guys! We need calm!"
But after a brief lull, fighting flared up again.
[BANG! BANG! BANGETY BANG!]
"Mustafa! What're you doin'?"
"I'm calmly shootin' at them Fatah varmints!"
In a clear jab at the moderate Abbas, Haniyeh criticized 'troublemakers who are trying to veer away from the path of our people' by receiving 'dirty American funding and arms.' The White House is seeking some USD 85 million to help bolster Abbas' forces.
"Yeah! It's them Americans! Widdout dem, we'd be calm as yez please!"
The violence has been fueled by Abbas' pledge to call early elections if the talks between Hamas and Fatah fail. Abbas, who is
There's assuming they won't defeat them this time.