A group affiliated to al-Qaeda on Friday declared an "Islamic emirate" in Gaza Strip, leading to clashes with Hamas which killed at least eight gunmen. According to Reuters, it all started when Jund Ansar Allah ("Warriors of God") rallied a few hundred men for an event at a Gaza mosque. It was followed by clashes between Hamas forces and supporters of the leader of the movement in the southern town of Rafah.
Medical sources said eight gunmen died and some 40 people were hurt.
Hamas said its gunmen stormed the movement's stronghold, including the mosque where Abdel-Latif Moussa -- known to supporters of al Qaeda in Gaza Strip as Abu al-Nour al-Maqdessi -- had declared before weekly prayers the start of theocratic rule in the Gaza Strip, starting at Rafah.
"We declare the birth of the Islamic Emirate," stated Maqdessi.
Dr. Ismail Haniyeh, the PM of the Gaza Strip, denied in his sermon on Friday that any non-Palestinian gunmen were in the territory, as alleged by Israel. "Such groups do not exist on the soil of the Gaza Strip ... there are no fighters in Gaza except Gazan fighters," he said. Such "Zionist propaganda" from Israel was designed to turn the world against Hamas, he conveyed.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri called Maqdessi's speech "wrong thinking" and the Interior Ministry said he was "mad".
