Calm restored to a crowded neighborhood in Gaza city on Sunday following a daylong battle between Hamas and a clan loyal to Fatah movement.
Hamas Interior Ministry said lull was back to al-Sheja'eya neighborhood after its security forces, backed by fighters of Hamas armed wing, overran the neighborhood of the Helles clan, which Hamas said was the last stronghold of its rival Fatah movement.
Heavy fighting which erupted on Saturday left nine Palestinians killed, including two policemen and four from the Helles family, according to medical sources.
About 90 others were wounded, some by Israeli forces which opened fire on a number of Helles family members when they were running towards the security fence that separates Israel and Gaza.
Hamas said the security campaign targeted a group of people suspected of role in a beachside bombing July 25 which killed a girl and five Hamas members.
Hamas senior official Saed Siyam speaks about the clash between Hamas forces and the Helles clan during a press conference in Gaza August 2, 2008. Four Palestinians were killed in street battles between Hamas forces and the pro-Fatah Helles clan in Gaza City Saturday. Four members of the Helles clan were shot dead by Isreali soldiers on the Gaza-Israel border as they tried to flee into Israel. "The one who was involved in the beach blast was arrested after he was injured and now he undergoes a surgery," said Islam Shahwan, spokesman for the police in Gaza.
"The police succeeded in arresting the wanted persons who Helles family provided shelter for after they holed up there for a few months," Shahwan added.
The police also seized ammunition in the Helles stronghold and a workshop for manufacturing explosives. "The search is still going on for weapon and munition that the outlaw group used," Shahwan said.
Meanwhile, 32 pro-Fatah Palestinians of Helles clam who fled to Israel after the fierce clashes in the Gaza Strip were sent back there on Sunday, Israeli media reported.
Ihab al-Ghussein, spokesman for Hamas Interior Ministry, confirmed their return, saying Israel returned 30 people to Gaza through Erez crossing.
He vowed to chase down those who returned, "although the ministry was not interested in chasing those who prove they were irrelevant."
On Saturday, Hamas Interior Minister Said Siam said four wanted militants were arrested, including Zaki al-Sakani "who was involved in numerous explosions such as the beachside attack."
Following the beachside blast, Hamas immediately accused Fatah of being behind the incident and launched a crackdown against Fatah leaders, supporters and organizations across the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Hamas said the Helles clan has harbored some of the suspects and refused to hand them over to the security services for investigations.
In June 2007, Hamas took over the Gaza Strip after chasing out the Fatah-dominated security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas.
Source:Xinhua
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