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ArchiveAbed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

A gunfight reportedly broke out on Sunday in a camp for “Palestinian refugees” in southern Lebanon during a funeral of a slain Hamas member, killing at least four people, Ynet reported.

According to local media, several others were wounded in the gunfight at the Burj Shamali refugee camp, which is located near the port city of Tyre. The gunfight was reportedly instigated by members of the Fatah faction.

"Fatah gunmen deliberately opened fire against people taking part in the funeral march," one Hamas official was quoted as having said.

Speaking to Reuters in Ramallah by phone from Beirut, the Palestinian Authority (PA) ambassador to Lebanon, Ashraf Dabour, rejected Hamas’ allegations.

"This is a rejected and a condemned action... Investigation committees will reveal who stood behind it," Dabour said. "We have made contacts with Hamas leaders and demanded they wait for the investigation results."

The clashes broke out during a funeral for Hamas member Hamza Shaheen, who was killed in an explosion at the refugee camp this past Friday.

Initial reports said the explosion was caused by ammunition that went off. Hamas rejected those reports and claimed the explosion was caused by an electrical short-circuit in a storage area for oxygen bottles used to treat coronavirus patients.

Lebanese residents who are registered as “Palestinian refugees” and their descendants who were born in that country reside in residential neighborhoods known as "refugee camps", have limited work options and are refused citizenship.

Lebanon refuses to naturalize the “Palestinian refugees” and has stressed the need to work for their return to their country of origin, which Palestinian Arabs claim is Israel.

Late last year, Lebanese authorities launched a crackdown on foreign workers, including people registered as “Palestinian refugees”.

According to the population census conducted in 2017, there are 174,422 “Palestinian refugees” residing in Lebanon in 12 "refugee camps" and in 152 residential neighborhoods throughout the country.