By Xinhua,
Gaza : Two Hamas policemen and one child were killed and 60 others wounded on Saturday in clashes between Hamas police forces and a pro-rival Fatah movement clan in Gaza City, a Hamas spokesman said.
Khaled Radi, spokesman of the Hamas-ruled ministry of health told reporters that two policemen of Hamas and a little boy were killed and 60 wounded, six of them are in serious conditions.
Radi expressed his regret for the clashes in Gaza City, adding that he calls on the security forces to allow ambulances to evacuate casualties from the area that most of them are children and women who are not involved in the clashes.
Early on Saturday, Hamas security forces stormed the neighborhood of Sheja’eya in eastern Gaza City to roundup gunmen, said to be suspects in a bombing attack one week ago that killed five Hamas militants and a little girl.
Witnesses said that Hamas militants launched missiles and mortars at the houses of the Helles clan, one of Gaza City’s biggest clans affiliated with President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement.
The neighborhood witnesses heavy gun battles between Hamas police and members of the Helles clan, said the witnesses, adding that sounds of explosions and intensive gunshots are still heard in the area.
Meanwhile, a group affiliated with Fatah movement’s armed wing, al-Aqsa Brigades which kidnapped senior Hamas leader in the West Bank city of Nablus, had freed him safe and sound after several hours of abduction.
Fatah militants threatened to kill Mohamed Ghazzal, if Hamas security forces don’t stop their attack on the Helles clan in GazaCity. Ghazzal’s release came after several Palestinian factions and notables interfered.
Meanwhile, Hamas security forces released 10 Fatah leaders, including head of the highest committee in Fatah movement Ibrahim Abu al-Najja. Right after his release, al-Najja called for stopping arrests in both sides.