The Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Information Center (PIC) today featured a report and photos detailing weapons allegedly confiscated by Hamas-allied police in Gaza. The weapons, displayed during a press conference, were allegedly confiscated by police as part of security measures initiated last weekend.
According to the PIC report, a police explosives expert stated that some of the devices collected in search operations match those involved in the bombing near Gaza beach last week, an event which triggered the outbreak of violence between Hamas and Fatah factions.
Police claim that militants took refuge in an area of Gaza City inhabited by the Halas clan, the members of which are pro-Fatah and have previously clashed with Hamas. Members of the clan reportedly include a leading Fatah official in Gaza, and were involved in clashes with police yesterday.
While police apparently aimed to incriminate the Halas clan in last weeks bombing, the family issued a statement a few days ago denying any involvement in the incident.
Today's report comes a day after Al-Quds reported that Israel had allowed members of the Halas clan – accused of being involved in a bombing in June – to take refuge in Israel as they headed to the West Bank. However, the AP also indicated that President Mahmoud Abbas told Fatah fighters to return to Gaza, insisting that a Fatah presence be maintained there. It's not clear, however, if the fighters mentioned in the AP report were also affiliated with the Halas clan.
Hamas's apparent attempt to implicate the Halas clan in last week's bombing could be part of an ongoing campaign to eradicate Fatah's foothold in Gaza City. It also suggests that clan identities, and how they interplay with political affiliations, need to be taken into account when understanding the nature of the conflict in Gaza.
