- Title: GAZA: Gunbattle in Gaza between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli troops
- Date: 7th November 2007
- Summary: CAMERAMAN LYING ON GROUND AT ROADSIDE FILMING
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA7BC4YJ4IY4MDMWAQBZDGGPF04
- Story Text: Palestinian gunmen battle Israeli troops as Hamas leader demands new laws to show his group's majority in parliament.
Palestinian gunmen battled Israeli forces in southern Gaza on Wednesday (November 7) as tanks moved into the area.
Carrying rifles and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG's) through the streets of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, masked gunmen took up positions and opened fire on Israeli tanks driving through sand dunes.
Local Palestinian residents said Israeli forces were carrying out arrests near the Sufa crossing with Israel.
Hamas seized control of Gaza in June following violent clashes with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction. The Islamist group's violent seizure of control triggered virtual closure of its borders.
Palestinian militants often launch rockets into southern Israel, but they are rarely deadly.
In Gaza city, Ismail Haniyeh, dismissed as prime minister by Abbas, convened a Legislative Council session to discuss Hamas demands of the governing Fatah to accept signatures of Hamas lawmakers imprisoned in Israel.
Hamas claims the signatures from 40 lawmakers in Israeli prisons would grant those jailed Hamas lawmakers rights to vote in parliament where the Islamist group represent a majority. Fatah has branded the signatures illegal.
Abbas sacked the Hamas-led government and formed a new administration in the West Bank, after the Gaza takeover in June.
Hamas, classified as a "terrorist" organisation by the U.S.
government, say the U.S. administration is working against democracy in Gaza.
"When the democracy does not adhere to these principles and norms and interests, and when it does not really reflect the people's will, then it becomes an unrecognised democracy," said Haniyeh.
"This is the gangsters' logic that is practised by forces of darkness in this world, foremost being the U.S. administration that wants to obstruct everything that is beautiful in this region, foremost being the Palestinian arena," Haniyeh said.
The western-backed Abbas, who is pursuing a peace deal with Israel, has ruled out re-engagement with Hamas unless the Islamist group submits to his authority andits control of Gaza.ENDS. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None