Masked gunmen shot dead a senior Fatah activist in a Gaza Strip refugee camp on Sunday in what appeared to be another incident with rival Hamas members. Fatah blamed Hamas for the attack that killed Mohammed Shahadeh, commander of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the Bureij camp, and ordered its forces across the Gaza Strip to go on alert, Fatah officials told Reuters.
Gunmen wearing masks shot Shahadeh, who also serves in the Preventive Security service loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas, at the door to his home, residents and Fatah officials said. They added Fatah activists then torched several cars belonging to Hamas members.
In a meeting on Saturday with Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, prominent Palestinians urged him to consider naming a cabinet made up of professionals to end a crisis with Fatah over formation of a unity government. After the meeting, Haniyeh reaffirmed a commitment to try to build a unity cabinet with Abbas.
Bassam Assalhi, one of the professionals who attended the meeting with Haniyeh, said: "We stressed the first priority and choice is to form a government of national unity but if peace efforts (between Fatah and Hamas) falter then we think a government of national figures should be considered."
