Palestinian gunmen on Saturday stopped a car carrying a Hamas Cabinet minister and opened fire on the vehicle, officials said, sparking a gunbattle. No one was hurt in the incident.
Hamas officials said Cabinet minister Wasfi Kabha, the target of the attack, was traveling to a ceremony in the West Bank town of Tubas not far from Jenin when his car was stopped at a nearby village by three gunmen.
They opened fire, hitting the vehicle four times, security officials said. Hamas forces quickly rushed to the scene, there was an exchange of fire, and the three gunmen fled, Hamas officials said, according to the AP. The ceremony, where Kabha and another minister planned to dedicate a new Education Ministry building, was canceled.
Hamas accused Palestinian security officials with ties to Fatah of being behind the attack.
In other violence Saturday, Palestinian gunmen opened fire at Palestinian security headquarters and forced government offices to close in the West Bank town of Jenin, demanding that they receive long-overdue salaries promised by the government.
Some 20 members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades gathered outside the security building, periodically firing rounds. After about an hour, they retreated, saying they had received assurances that their demands would be met. No injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces on Friday shot and killed a Palestinian man who approached the border fence along the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials said.
Palestinian medical and security officials confirmed a 30-year-old man was killed.
