June 14, 2007
Hamas Takes Over Gaza Preventive Security Headquarters
Gaza City
After hours of fighting which killed at least 14 and wounded dozens,
Hamas Thursday overpowered one of four major security compounds in
Gaza City belonging to President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah-affiliated
security forces, hospital officials and witnesses said.
Television pictures on Hamas' Al Aqsa satellite channel showed
dozens of members of the force surrendering, walking out the
Preventive Security headquarters bare-chested, their hands on their
heads.
They ducked briefly as Hamas militants fired over their heads in
celebration.
The "conquest" of the compound meant Hamas, which has already seized
most security posts in the north and south of the Strip as well as
along the border with Egypt in the past two days, meant Gaza was now
largely in the hands of the ruling, radical Islamic movement.
Hamas militants also put up several roadblocks along Salah a-Din
road, meaning they control the Strip's main north-south traffic
artery.
Three other main headquarters in what is known as Gaza City's
"Security Square" are still controlled by Fatah. They are Mahmoud
Abbas' presidential compound, which houses his offices and Force 17
Presidential Guard, the General Intelligence and the Saraya, the
administrative centre of Abbas' security forces in Gaza.
Hinting the presidential compound may be Hamas' next target, Nizar
Rajan, a local Hamas leader in northern Gaza, announced that Friday
prayers would be held in the residence of Abbas.
Hamas' number two leader in exile, Moussa Abu Marzouk denied that
Hamas was trying to create an Islamic regime in Gaza separated from
the West Bank. Palestinian territory "is united and will remain", he
told DPA in a telephone call. "We will work to liberate all
Palestinian lands".
Speaking on Al Aqsa over the images of the surrender of the
Preventive Security compound, Abu Zuchri spoke of a major "victory"
and a second "liberation" - the first being from the Jewish settlers
evacuated from Gaza under Israel's August 2005 unilateral pullout
from the Strip, the second from whom he branded as "traitors."
Fatah had earlier denied Hamas' claim of control over the compound,
insisting it managed to repel the attack and even arrest some 15
Hamas gunmen.
Abbas meanwhile convened an emergency meeting of Fatah's Central
Committee and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive
Committee in Ramallah, during which the committee called on him to
pull Fatah out of the unity government with Fatah, formed just three
months ago in a bid to end internecine fighting.
It also urged him to declare an emergency situation in Gaza. Abbas'
media advisor, Nabil Amr, told reporters in Ramallah the president
was "studying" the recommendation and would take a decision as soon
as possible.
Abbas meanwhile rejected out of hand some eight conditions posed by
Hamas in return for a truce, which included demands that he sack
certain security chiefs, another aide said earlier.
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