Israel Matzav

Three unarmed bystanders were wounded Tuesday when Hamas gunmen attacked a Fatah funeral procession in the southern Gaza Strip, witnesses said. Hospital officials said the three were not seriously hurt.

The funeral was for a Fatah gunman killed in a clash with Hamas on Monday. Fatah officials and witnesses said Hamas set off two bombs and opened fire on the procession in which Muhammed al-Jaraf and Hamadeh Ibrahim, the two Fatah gunmen who were killed on Monday, were laid to rest, setting off a firefight between the two sides.

Earlier, ten Palestinians were wounded in Hamas-Fatah clashes in downtown Gaza City, witnesses and paramedics say.

"I don't know what Hamas wants," said Fatah warlord Samir Masharawi. "Last night we agreed to end the fighting and solve our problems through dialogue. Unfortunately, the fighting resumed this morning after Hamas gunmen kidnapped a Fatah member. This fire will burn all of us and I don't know where we are headed."

Hamas, on the other hand, accused the Palestinian Authority security forces of [attacking CiJ] a top aid to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The man, Ahmed Yusef, was traveling in his car when he was stopped by members of the Preventative Security Service, who assaulted him before taking him into custody.

"They beat Yusef with their fists," said Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri. He said a Hamas legislator, Sayed Abu Musameh, who was with Yusef in the car, was also detained briefly by the security officers.

"These security forces are dealing in a murderous way with government officials and leaders of the Palestinian people," Masri added. "They stop their cars, beat them and arrest them." [Doesn't sound a whole lot different than what Hamas did before they got into power, does it? CiJ]

Last month members of the same force, which consists solely of Fatah supporters, prevented the convoy of Haniyeh from passing through one of the main streets in Gaza City. One of the officers who were involved in the incident, Mansour Hosni, was later abducted by Hamas gunmen who shot him in the knees.

Commenting on the attack on Haniyeh's advisor, Hamas legislator Salah Bardaweel said such incidents reflected the extent of corruption and chaos in the Preventative Security Service. "This is a despicable action," he said. "We are demanding the dismissal and punishment of the heads of this security force."

Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Hamas-controlled cabinet, expressed "deep regret" at the renewal of armed clashes between Hamas and Fatah. "The events that took place today are very serious and painful," he said. "Yesterday we agreed with all the factions to end the violence, but some people are trying to foil our efforts." [Let me guess: they're going to accuse the Israelis? CiJ]

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas told reporters in Ramallah that he had ordered the PA security forces to take action against anyone who tries to initiate internecine fighting. Describing the clashes as "regrettable," he said some parties were inciting for more violence, but did not elaborate.