Palestinians police reported a gunbattle between PA security forces loyal and Hamas activist in the West Bank city of Qalqilia. According to reports, police raided a house on Thursday morning to arrest a Hamas member.
According to Ma'an News Agency, a security officer as well as three Hamas activists were killed in the clash. Earlier this week, a total of six Palestinians were killed during a similar incident in Qalqilia.
On its part, Hamas issued a statement on Thursday warning the PA security forces loyal to former PA chief and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas of harming the besieged Qassam commanders in Qalqilia. The Movement said that the Abbas forces were implementing an advanced stage of the decision to liquidate resistance.
Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, charged that the PA security forces were acting on behalf of Israel in liquidating Palestinian resistance fighters.
