Hamas gunmen attacked the Gaza City home of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday afternoon, just hours after Fatah gunmen targeted PA Foreign Minister Dr. Mahmoud a-Zahar’s convoy on the streets of Gaza City.
Abbas was not home at the time, and no one was hurt in the attempt on a-Zahar’s life, but it highlighted the escalating violence that is once again sweeping the streets of Gaza.
Fatah terrorists fired in the air during a funeral procession earlier in the day for an elite Force 17 officer who was killed in a dawn attack on the presidential guard unit’s base. Hamas supporters watched nervously as the angry procession passed by, according to local sources.
Hamas officials denied involvement, but the masked gunmen who killed the officer, set fire to tents at the base and shot at guardsmen trapped inside were wearing Hamas uniforms, said an unnamed source quoted in several media reports.
An assassination attempt Thursday night on the life of PA Prime Minister and Hamas chairman Ismail Haniyeh sparked the violence, with Hamas leaders blaming Abbas and Fatah strongman Muhammed Dahlan for the attack and vowing revenge.
A tense quiet settled over the areas by Friday afternoon after security forces loyal to PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas clubbed Hamas terrorist organization supporters in Ramallah, where Hamas tried to stage a rally.
In Gaza, shooting broke out before a similar demonstration in which Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya later told the rally of 100,000 supporters, "What a war, Mahmoud Abbas, you are launching, first against Allah, and then against Hamas."
Abbas was not home at the time, and no one was hurt in the attempt on a-Zahar’s life, but it highlighted the escalating violence that is once again sweeping the streets of Gaza.
Fatah terrorists fired in the air during a funeral procession earlier in the day for an elite Force 17 officer who was killed in a dawn attack on the presidential guard unit’s base. Hamas supporters watched nervously as the angry procession passed by, according to local sources.
Hamas officials denied involvement, but the masked gunmen who killed the officer, set fire to tents at the base and shot at guardsmen trapped inside were wearing Hamas uniforms, said an unnamed source quoted in several media reports.
An assassination attempt Thursday night on the life of PA Prime Minister and Hamas chairman Ismail Haniyeh sparked the violence, with Hamas leaders blaming Abbas and Fatah strongman Muhammed Dahlan for the attack and vowing revenge.
A tense quiet settled over the areas by Friday afternoon after security forces loyal to PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas clubbed Hamas terrorist organization supporters in Ramallah, where Hamas tried to stage a rally.
In Gaza, shooting broke out before a similar demonstration in which Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya later told the rally of 100,000 supporters, "What a war, Mahmoud Abbas, you are launching, first against Allah, and then against Hamas."