At least 16 Palestinians died and dozens were hurt as Hamas captured the headquarters of the Fatah-allied security forces in northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday. A Fatah security official confirmed the building had been fallen.
Some 200 Hamas gunmen surrounded the compound, where some 500 Fatah fighters were holed up. Hamas fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades at the building.
A Fatah man who survived the assault on the northern security said the Fatah forces were outgunned and that reinforcements never arrived. Hamas attacked the compound with mortars and automatic gunfire, and after several hours of battle, seized control, said Hamas commander Wael al-Shakra, according to the AP.
Also Tuesday evening, two gunmen, one from Hamas and the other from Fatah, were killed in a clash in the central Gaza town of Dir el-Balah. The violence in the Strip has claimed at least 35 lives so far since it erupted again on Monday.
Forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah were ordered Tuesday evening to defend their positions in the Gaza Strip, and counter a "coup" by Hamas.
On its part, Hamas on Tuesday afternoon launched attacks against facilities of security forces allied to Fatah, seizing a number of smaller positions and laying seige to others.
Meanwhile, Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV and radio stations came under fire from Fatah forces Tuesday, employees said. The Al-Aqsa TV station was surrounded by security forces allied with Fatah, said a station employee. Security officials said they received orders to stop the broadcasts of the station. Shortly after the attack, the station started playing pro-Fatah songs.
But later, the television station broadcast pictures of what it said was a thwarted attack, along with pictures Hamas gunmen standing around captured security vehicles.
On Tuesday morning, Hamas gunmen seized the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, making it the third medical center to come under Hamas control in two days. Gunmen traded fire at the institution.
