Hamas, Fatah fighters clash near key Gaza crossing

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Hamas, Fatah fighters clash near key Gaza crossing

By Nidal al-Mughrabi
1 hour, 27 minutes ago

GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas and Fatah forces fought a major gun
battle on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip near the Karni commercial
crossing, the most serious flare-up in factional fighting in two
weeks.

An officer with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Presidential
Guard said a "large number" of Hamas fighters attacked a key
Presidential Guard position near the crossing, wounding at least
one guard member.

The Presidential Guard officer said the Hamas fighters attempted
to infiltrate the position but were pushed back by the Presidential
Guard, a Fatah-dominated force which receives U.S. backing.

Hamas, which leads a Palestinian unity government with Abbas's
Fatah faction, confirmed the nearly three-hour-long gun battle
near Karni but said the Presidential Guard initiated the exchange.

-snip-

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