Hamas and Fatah fighters firing mortar shells and lobbing grenades fought outside a security compound in Gaza City early Saturday, a day after 18 Palestinians died and scores injured. Two Palestinians were killed on Saturday.
The violence halted talks about bringing Fatah into the Hamas-led government, negotiators said. The Gaza fighting, which started late Thursday, was among the deadliest in nearly two months. Gun battles raged across Gaza City on Friday and continued early Saturday. On Friday, 16 people died and 66 were hurt, according to Health Ministry officials.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas issued a statement calling for calm. Haniyeh criticized "troublemakers who are trying to veer away from the path of our people" by receiving "dirty American funding and arms."
One of the hotspots was the compound of the Preventive Security Service, which is loyal to President Abbas. Hamas gunmen fired mortars at the security complex and at the home of the Preventive Security chief, Rashid Abu Shbak, before dawn Saturday, security officials said.
Streets were deserted Saturday, and only bakeries and groceries opened for business. Gaza City's main outdoor market was closed. Al Azhar University called off exams scheduled for Saturday, and the Interior Ministry told its employees to stay home.
In fighting around the compound on Friday, a total of six Hamas gunmen were killed, Hamas officials said. They accused Fatah men of storming a mosque near the security headquarters and executing a senior Hamas activist inside, a claim denied by Fatah. Fatah-allied security officials said Hamas gunmen used the mosque as a base for attacking the security headquarters.
At another Gaza City mosque, Hamas operatives were hanging posters with the photos of Hamas supporters killed or wounded in the fighting. "This is the act of the insurgents. These are the criminal activities of the pro-Zionist, American criminals," the caption read.
In Friday's fighting, one of the flashpoints was the home of a Fatah operative, Mansour Shaleil, in the Jebaliya refugee camp near Gaza City. Hamas gunmen surrounded the home early Friday to detain Shaleil, accusing him of involvement in a shooting that killed two Hamas supporters. After an hours-long standoff, dozens of Hamas gunmen stormed the house and exchanged fire with Shaleil and his supporter, according to witnesses and ambulance drivers.
They later withdrew, Palestinian media reported, leaving Shaleil unharmed. Two men identified as Hamas militants were killed.
Both Fatah and Hamas officials said late Friday that unity talks would be suspended until the fighting ends. Both sides blamed each other for the crisis.
