Six killed in Gaza as Hamas marks victory

[oberliner]

GAZA (Reuters) - Rival Palestinian factions clashed across the Gaza Strip, killing six people, as thousands of Hamas supporters marched on Friday to mark the Islamist group's election victory over Fatah opponents last year.

The escalating violence forced the postponement of talks to form a coalition government which could ease a U.S.-led boycott imposed after Hamas won Palestinian elections last January.

"The entire dialogue could explode," Fatah spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa said, blaming Hamas for the tension. "How can dialogue go on when there is a bomb underneath the table?"

The talks, due to resume on Friday, were pushed back to Sunday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070126/ts_nm/palestinians_violence_dc_3

[Eugene]

1. Fifteen Palestinians killed in Gaza clashes (Reuters)

Fifteen Palestinians killed in Gaza clashes

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

44 minutes ago

GAZA (Reuters) - Rival Palestinian factions clashed in the Gaza Strip on Friday,
killing 15 people including a two-year-old child, and a Fatah-linked group said
it had captured 24 Hamas hostages.

The death toll in a wave of bombings and shootings is the highest in internal
Palestinian fighting in a single day of violence since Hamas's rise to power
exactly a year ago.

In Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, Hamas gunmen besieged and later stormed
the house of senior Fatah militant Mansour Shalayel, who they accused of shooting
a Hamas supporter.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070126/ts_nm/palestinians_violence_dc_7

(BBC News)

Last Updated: Friday, 26 January 2007, 22:24 GMT

Eleven die as Gaza factions clash

At least 11 people have died in some of the deadliest fighting between
rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in Gaza for months.

-snip-

Fatah said it was suspending the negotiations following the violence,
which has continued into the night.

-snip-

The BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says there has been intensive mediation
by Egyptian diplomats in an effort to stop the bloodshed there.

He says late in the evening word came that Fatah and Hamas had agreed
to order their supporters off the streets.

But our correspondent says both are now accusing the other of not having
stuck by the deal and the clashes are continuing.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6301763.stm