A Palestinian young man was killed and three others were wounded
on Monday night as clashes between supporters of the rival
mainstream Hamas and Fatah movements renewed in northern Gaza
Strip, local medics said.
It is the first death since it was announced on Sunday night
that the two clashing rival movements agreed to cease-fire, end all
arming phenomenon and pullout militants of both sides from the
streets.
The medics said that Ahmed Zeyada, a 21-year-old Fatah supporter
was killed and three others were wounded by Hamas militants'
gunfire.
The incident occurred after unknown Hamas militants abducted
Hilal Yaghi, the brother of Allaa Yaghi, a Fatah lawmaker in the
Hamas-dominant Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), witnesses
said.
Following the abduction, Fatah movement abducted three Hamas
members and gathered them into a local Fatah social institution in
Jablaia area, said the witnesses, adding that Hamas militants came
back and opened fire at the gathering.
During the shooting at the institution building, one young man
was killed and three wounded, they added.
Meanwhile, kidnapping and exchange of fire also erupted in the
Gaza Strip following one week of violence, during which at least 12
people were killed and more than 30 wounded.
Eyewitnesses said that near the compound of President Mahmoud
Abbas in western Gaza Strip, Abbas' bodyguards opened fire at a
group of Hamas militants who tried to approach one of the
checkpoints. No injuries were reported.
In another development, former Palestinian cabinet minister
Sofian Abu Zayda was released unharmed Monday night, security
sources said.
Abu Zayda, a senior official of the Fatah movement, was freed
one hour after he was abducted by Hamas militants near his home in
northern Gaza Strip.
Fatah spokesman Tawfeek Abu Khusa said earlier that Hamas gunmen
kidnapped Abu Zayda, former minister of Prisoners' Affairs in the
government led by Fatah.
Hamas armed wing termed the release as "a goodwill gesture."
At midnight on Sunday, senior Palestinian officials announced
that an agreement was reached between the rival Hamas and Fatah to
end the bloody clashes in Gaza Strip.
However, the truce was not being fully honored, as Fatah and
Hamas forces still faced off in gunbattle on Monday on several
occasions.
Different Palestinian factions, as well as Egypt and Yemen, have
been mediating between the two fighting movements. All efforts had
apparently failed after kidnappings and exchange of fire renewed on
Monday evening.
(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2006)
