Palestinians fleeing Hamas-Fatah clashes to return home
The clashes between the two Palestinian parties took place in Gaza city
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Sunday, 03, Aug 2008 09:29
Over 180 Palestinians who fled violent clashes between Hamas and Fatah are to return home upon president Mahmoud Abbas' personal intervention.
Earlier in the day, gun-battles broke out in Gaza city as Hamas security forces surrounded a house owned by the influential Hilles clan, which has links to the Fatah party.
Nine people died and at least 60 were injured in the armed clashes which continued for hours until members of the clan tried to escape into the city of Ramallah in the West Bank. Israeli officials permitted the fleeing clan members to pass into the territory after disarming them.
The BBC reports that Mr Abbas requested that those who fled the fighting be returned to Gaza.
Tension between the two rival Palestinian parties has increased since a bombing last week that claimed the lives of five Hamas fighters and a girl in Gaza. Activists from either party have been held in tit-for-tat arrests since the attack.
A spokesman for Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, told al-Jazeera that members of the clan had fired mortar rounds at security forces and were involved in attacks on Gaza city.
He also claimed that they were responsible for the rocket attack which resulted in the deaths of Hamas fighters. The Hilles clan has rejected the claim and accused Hamas of instigating violence against it.
Last year, fierce fighting broke out between Fatah and Hamas resulting in Hamas taking over control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah. The Fatah party, headed by incumbent Palestinian Authority president Mr Abbas, is in control of the West Bank.