Mayur Pahilajani - AHN News Writer
Gaza City, Gaza Strip (AHN) - Hamas forces and Fatah supporters clashed in Gaza City on Saturday, leaving four people dead and 80 injured during the fight between the rival groups.
The Islamist Hamas and Fatah movements clashed after Hamas security forces detained several Fatah members during a searching for suspects in last month's bombings.
An explosion killed six people on July 26, including five Hamas members and a 6-year-old girl on a Gaza beach, which lead to the arrest of 120 the rival group supporters.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately known but the Islamist group Hamas blamed the attack on members of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.
Similar bombings have been reported over the last few months on internet cafes, music shops and Christian institutions.
Meanwhile, Saturday's clashes continued for seven hours and are considered to be one of Gaza's deadliest internal fights between the groups.
The rival members used mortars and machine guns, killing three Hamas policemen and a Hilles member and at least 12 wounded children during heavy clashes on Saturday.
Security forces from both the movements have been cracking down on political opponents since the bombing in Gaza and the West Bank.
Hamas has been controlling the strip since June 2007 after being ruled by the Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Before the recent truce agreement, the Islamic group have launched attacks against Israel from the occupied territory.
After the clashes were reported, Israel authorities said they are on high alert.
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