Last update - 00:00 01/08/2007
Hamas man killed, six Jihad members wounded in Gaza infighting
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
One Hamas man was killed and six Islamic Jihad members wounded Wednesday, as fighting broke out between the two militant groups in the Gaza Strip.
The clash resulted from an incident the night before, when Islamic Jihad gunmen fired in the air in celebration during a wedding, both sides said. Hamas, which overran the Gaza Strip in a lightning operation last month, has banned firing weapons in public.
On Wednesday, the Hamas militia fired a rocket at a house in Gaza City and traded fire with Islamic Jihad militants inside. Gunfire could be heard for several hours.
Islamic Jihad leader Khader Habib said the raid was unnecessary. "I solved the situation at the wedding yesterday," he said.
Hamas said in a statement that the Islamic Jihad militants were ordered to hand over their weapons but failed to do so, and we implemented the law.
The incident is an indication of growing animosity between the two extremist Islamic groups, now that their common enemy, the moderate Fatah of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, has been vanquished.
Hamas has pledged to keep the streets of Gaza safe, a contrast to the gang warfare and widespread crime that was prevalent while Fatah was in control, and appears to be sending a signal to other armed groups that they must buckle under to Hamas rule.