Deadly clashes erupt in Gaza

Witnesses said masked fighters from both Islamist Hamas and secular Fatah streamed onto the streets, setting up roadblocks and barriers to stop cars and check identification papers and pulling rival supporters from vehicles and houses.

 

Main roads were paralysed by the fighting, and shops and businesses closed early.

 

The latest round of fighting, the worst since an Egyptian-brokered truce was declared in mid-May, began on Saturday night in the town of Rafah, where hundreds of rival fighters took up positions on street corners and rooftops.

 

Hamas and Fatah shelled each other with rocket-propelled grenades and machineguns, according to witnesses who took shelter indoors as the rivals fought block by block in Rafah.

 

 

The officials said another Hamas man died of wounds from a shooting last week, while a total of 53 people were wounded in Sunday’s fighting.

 

Fighting was also reported in a central Gaza refugee camp, where Hamas and Fatah accused each other of abducting at least one member of each group.

 

The  ensuing gun battle wounded four more people, hospital officials said.

 

Against this backdrop of factional fighting, Israeli aircraft bombed a building used by the Islamic Jihad in pre-dawn attacks, causing two injuries, residents said.