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Masked Palestinian Hamas militants participate a rally for the memory of Hamas commander Mahmoud Al Mabhouh in town of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip Image Credit: AP

Gaza: Palestinians are weary of speculating further on the murder of Hamas leader Mahmoud Al Mabhouh as the development has further affected the relation between Hamas and Fatah.

The announcement that two Palestinian police officials have been arrested in the case has raised many eyebrows in the already complicated case. While the Mossad remains the number one suspect, many observers are questioning whether Fatah played any role in the murder as the two factions have been deeply divided since 2006.

The brother of slain Hamas leader, Hussain Al Mabhooh, recently spoke out on the case saying, “ We will not accuse anyone else except the Israeli Mossad whether those involved were Palestinian or not, because we believe anyone who works with the Israelis is one of them.”

In pictures: prime suspects

Fatah has already been very clear that it will not accept anyone to point blame at them without solid evidence. Ihab Al Ghussain, an interior ministry spokesman for Hamas said, “We asked the Emirati government to involve us in the investigation but we have trust in the government of Dubai which till this moment clarified many things in a short period of time.”


“However, we know that the two Palestinians that were arrested worked as police officers with the Fatah police in Gaza before Hamas took control, afterwards they fled the country,” he said. “We will not point any fingers of blame until the investigations are over,” he added.

Fatah wants Hamas to be very careful in accusing them as Hamas in the past has been penetrated by traitors within their own ranks such as the case of Abdul Aziz Al Rantisi in April 2004.

“It’s not the first time that Hamas accuses the Palestinian authority for their own political or security failures especially whenever any of their leaders are killed,” Ahmed Shrem a parliament member of the Fatah government said.