At least 11 die in Hamas-Fatah clashes

At least 11 Palestinians were confirmed dead yesterday in clashes between Fatah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and more than 40 were injured, hours after an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire was implemented. The clashes occured mostly near the the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and hospital in Beit Hanun.

In spite of a Fatah announcement of a unilateral cease-fire, Naim al-Dahdouh, a senior member of the Hamas military wing, was killed last night, as the exchanges of fire continued.

Earlier, a senior Fatah figure, Jamal Abu-Jedian, was assassinated by Hamas gunmen near his Gaza home. Abu-Jedian was a close associate of Mohammed Dahlan, a Fatah strongman and security adviser to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Palestinian sources said Abu-Jedian had been executed outside his home. He was a senior member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and the target of several Hamas assassination attempts.

During the battles around Abu-Jedian's house, Hamas member Mohammed Muhajez was also killed.

Earlier yesterday, Hamas gunmen killed Fatah intelligence officer Yasser Bakar, and his 16-year old brother. The incident prompted members of his family to launch a revenge shooting spree. Two members of Hamas, barricaded inside Gaza's biggest hospital, Shifa, were killed during the melee.

Hospital officials reported that Bakar gunmen began firing mortars and rocket-propelled grenades at Shifa Hospital, drawing Hamas fire from inside the building. During the Shifa fighting, top Hamas militant Mazen Ajur was killed. Another member of the Bakar clan was also killed.

In separate fighting at a hospital in Beit Hanun, three people were killed and at least 10 were wounded. The dead were identified as 'Id al-Masri and his two sons, Farej and Ibrahim, of the al-Masri clan, which has ties to the Fatah movement.

Mohammed Odeh, a volunteer for the Red Crescent rescue service, said one of the dead had been shot at close range. Hospital officials reported that the three victims were at the hospital being treated for injuries.

In another incident in Beit Lahia, Hamas member Bassel al-Caparna was also killed.

Hospital authorities in Beit Hanun announced that they were suspending their work in view of the clashes inside the hospital.

The clashes had reignited after the cease-fire had been put in place with a gun battle outside the parliament building in Gaza City, while the Palestinian cabinet was meeting.

Gunmen carried out an attack on the home of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, and also targeted the offices of the Hamas-run Culture Ministry. Culture Minister Bassem Naim was inside the building at the time at the attack, said his sister Huda. There were no injuries, she said, accusing Fatah of trying to kill her brother.

"It was the Fatah gangs. There was no justification. We were at work, and the ministry came under fire," a ministry official, identified only as Ahmed, told Hamas' Al-Aqsa radio station.

Fatah spokesman Maher Mekdad said the gunfire at the Culture Ministry erupted after Hamas snipers on the roof fired at a security convoy. "The security men returned fire," he said.

The attacks came after two militants - first one from Fatah and later a Hamas member - were dragged onto the roofs of Gaza high-rises and thrown to their deaths.

There were no reports of casualties in the attack on Haniyeh's house in the Shati refugee camp, adjacent to Gaza City. His office wouldn't say whether he was inside, but his family said that his wife, children and grandchildren had been at home.

It was the first time in a month of infighting that Haniyeh was an apparent target.

The two sides have been locked in a violent power struggle since Hamas defeated Fatah in January 2006 legislative elections, ending four decades of Fatah rule.

Sides call for calm

Shortly after the attack on Haniyeh's home, Fatah and Hamas leaders called for calm, in large part to allow thousands of high school seniors to take their matriculation exams in peace.

"This is shameful for our people," Abbas said during a trip to a school in the West Bank. "I call on everyone to stop this immediately, not only because of the examinations, but also for our people to live a normal life."

About 24,000 high-school seniors in Gaza were beginning two weeks of final exams yesterday, along with more than 40,000 other pupils in the West Bank.