And this time at least one of the dead happens to be an Iranian who committed suicide rather than allowing himself to be captured. The Gaza strip is erupting again into repeated acts of violence. And guess who is stirring the pot? Palestinian fighters loyal to Fatah have captured several Iranians.
Palestinian security officers arrested at least five Iranian citizens during a raid at the Islamic University, a Hamas stronghold in Gaza City, a security official said. One of the Iranians committed suicide during the raid. Six to nine Palestinians were killed in the raid, sources said.
Early Friday, two Fatah-affiliated security men died in clashes in northern Gaza, hospital officials said. Eight people have died since Thursday, when violence erupted after a brief truce between Fatah and Hamas.
Hamas fighters blew up a pro-Fatah radio station in Gaza, ambulances were caught in the crossfire and gunmen exhanged machine gun fire in deserted streets as factional battles refused to let up in the chaotic coastal territory.
The raid on the Hamas-linked university in Gaza was carried out by national security forces affiliated with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Hundreds of weapons and a lathe for the production of Qassam rockets were seized in the raid.
A Hamas official denied the claim and said there were no Iranian citizens at the university.
The security official also said that during the raid a Hamas commander believed to have orchestrated the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier near the Gaza Strip in June last year suffered serious-to-moderate wounds.
If the people captured are, indeed, Iranians, then the government of Iran has even more explaining to do, doesn't it? It is about time they started being held accountable for the violence they appear to be promoting all through the region.
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