Region | Palestinian Territories
Hamas captures Fatah compound
Hamas fighters on Thursday captured one of the last Gaza City bastions of forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
- Agencies
- Published: 00:00 June 14, 2007
Gaza: Hamas fighters on Thursday captured one of the last Gaza City bastions of forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Green Islamist flags fluttered from the rooftop of the Preventive Security headquarters in Gaza City -- a powerful symbol to residents that Hamas had taken control after five days of bloodshed in which more than 80 people have been killed.
The fighting has brought Palestinians closer to a division between an Islamist-controlled Gaza Strip and a West Bank where Abbas's Fatah faction holds sway -- and farther from their dream of an independent state in both areas.
Political commentators on Israel Radio have already dubbed the Gaza Strip "Hamastan".
"It has to be defined as a hostile and dangerous entity and be treated as such, because it is," Amos Gilboa, a senior Israeli defence official told Israel Radio.
But he played down prospects of an Israeli invasion of Gaza to confront Hamas.
"We have to find other options to this, however tempting. First we have to persuade others, first and foremost Egypt, to prevent arms smuggling and monetary aid so that this entity is not able to stand on its feet," Gilboa said.
Hamas fighters fired gunshots in the air and handed out chocolates to local residents to celebrate the fall of the security headquarters.
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