Violence continues to rock Gaza as a Palestinian national unity government appears no closer to fruition, writes Erica Silverman Palestinians witnessed the bloodiest round of inter- factional violence yet between Fatah and Hamas in the West Bank and Gaza this week, claiming the lives of 34 Palestinians and injuring over 100 in just four days. The fatalities were mostly fighters, although several children were caught in the crossfire. Early Tuesday morning Fatah and Hamas agreed to another shaky ceasefire, brokered by the Egyptian diplomatic delegation. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, of Hamas, said Fatah and Hamas had "agreed to pull all gunmen from the streets and remove checkpoints." Those suspected of involvement in the killings were to be turned over to prosecutors for investigation. Simultaneously, the violence was redirected towards Israel on Monday as a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up next to a bakery in Israel's southern resort town of Eilat, killing three Israelis. It was the first attack of its kind since April. Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad praised the "resistance" operation. The bombing was a joint operation between Islamic Jihad and a new offshoot of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades -- the military wing of President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement -- called the "Army of Believers", said a masked spokesperson for the military wing of Islamic Jihad at a press conference later that day in Gaza City. Islamic Jihad asserted the attack was carried out in retaliation for Israel's daily military incursions into the Palestinian territories, including mass arrests and targeted assassinations. The groups had been preparing for the operation for seven months, according to the spokesperson, who said the bomber, Mohamed Seksek, 21, from northern Gaza, had entered Eilat via Jordan. The Jordanian government denies the bomber entered Jordan. Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades termed the operation "Melting Ice" and said it was the start of a series of operations. Senior Al-Aqsa leader Abu Uday, asserted the group "will operate using any possible means and in every reachable arena". Back in Gaza the bomber's mother said, "I am very proud of my son." To his neighbourhood in Beit Lahiyeh he is now a martyr. The Israeli government declared the operation a "terror attack", although Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would continue to uphold the ceasefire. President Abbas and Prime Minster Olmert declared a ceasefire back in December after a five-month long series of Israeli military incursions into Gaza termed "Operation Summer Rains" and subsequently "Operation Autumn Clouds". These offensives began on 26 June to purportedly halt the launching of Qassam rockets into Israel and to secure the recovery of a captured Israeli soldier. According to an annual report published by the Israeli NGO B'Tselem, Israeli forces killed 405 Palestinians, including 88 children and 205 bystanders, during the time of these Israeli military operations. Loyalties are blurry. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice confirmed, during her visit to the region earlier this month, that the Bush administration would provide nearly $90 million to strengthen security forces loyal to Abbas. The US claims the funding will be used to assist Abbas in fulfilling Palestinian Authority commitments under the roadmap. Meanwhile, Hamas has largely been adhering to a ceasefire declared in March 2005. Angry Fatah militants, on Israel's wanted list shot at the Canadian and German embassies, and an upscale restaurant, Thursday night in Ramallah, after being refused entry to Abbas's presidential headquarters. Fierce gun battles have erupted on the streets of Gaza between Hamas Executive Forces and the Presidential Guard and other security forces loyal to Fatah. Hamas set up the Executive Forces in May, after they were sworn into office in March. Abbas declared the force illegal earlier this month. The violence sparked Thursday night after a Hamas member was killed in a car bomb in Jabalya refugee camp. Hamas blamed Fatah for the killing. Senior Fatah official Nabil Al-Jarjir was assassinated Friday morning in retaliation, triggering more bloodshed. Gunfire is often exchanged late at night and in the early morning as fighters take positions on the rooftops of high- rise buildings common to the dense urban centre of Gaza City. Parallel security forces in conflict with each other have created widespread fear and confusion amongst Gazans. Most residents are hiding indoors, staying home from work and school. The streets are abandoned and taxis are scarce. Roadblocks were set up across Gaza City and between the major governorates, mostly by national security forces loyal to Abbas. The Preventive Security Services headquarters, also loyal to Abbas yet under the command of Hamas Interior Minster Said Syiam, has become a flashpoint for nightly gun battles. Residents living near the headquarters, in Tel Hawa, were asked to evacuate their homes after several people were shot. "The majority of Palestinians feel heartbroken. It's either Fatah or Hamas. No one is saying 'Palestine' anymore," said Mohamed Fatayeh, 28, a Tel Hawa resident. On Monday night a stray bullet grazed his younger brother Omar, 18, while he watched television in his living room. "We do not even have a state; it is a power struggle that doesn't exist," he said, referring to the ongoing battle between Fatah and Hamas that has claimed the lives of at least 60 Palestinians in the past two months. Fatah and Hamas continue to abduct each other's members. More that 50 people were snatched at gunpoint over the past week. On Friday, a two-year- old boy was killed when Fatah gunmen fired at a car believed to be carrying Hamas militants in Khan Yunis. Hamas and Fatah officials blamed each other for the killing. Later that day gunmen exchanged fire outside a mosque in Gaza City, killing several fighters and two more innocent bystanders. The violence, appearing as foreshadowing to a civil war, gave a serious blow to President Abbas's call in December for early elections. Many Gazans are asking why President Abbas does not return from foreign travels during this dire state of emergency. The spiralling violence has again derailed talks on forming a national unity government between Fatah and Hamas. Palestinians are still looking to a national unity government to end internal clashes and to lift the economic and political sanctions instituted against the Palestinian government after Hamas rejected the conditions of the Quartet (the EU, US, UN and Russia). These conditions include renouncing violence, recognising Israel and respecting previously signed agreements between parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fatah and Hamas both accepted a Saudi Arabian invitation to hold unity talks in Mecca. Al-Arabiya television reported Sunday that Saudi King Abdullah invited the factions for talks "without foreign intervention".
