Gaza - Khan Younis - Ma'an - Six Palestinian citizens have been killed, and many more injured in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in armed clashes between the Executive Forces and the striking Palestinian security forces, demonstrating to demand their salaries.
Medical sources at the Ash Shifa' Hospital in the city of Gaza reported that Ala' Jaras, 36, from the An-Nasir neighborhood, Hasan Abu-Al Hatal, 15, from Gaza city, Rafiq Siyam, 29, a lieutenant in the president's guards, Muhammad Kamal Al-Afghani, 23, from Gaza city, and Ramadan Muhammad Ramadan, age unknown, were killed along with a sixth person whose name has not yet been released, during the clashes that took place between the Fatah Movement and the Hamas Movement.
At least 10 Palestinians were injured early on Sunday morning in clashes between Executive Forces and striking security service personnel on the main roadway of the Bani Sahila town in the east of Khan Younis.
According to eyewitnesses, there were a number of casualties, mostly citizens, who were trying to cross the road from the south of Gaza Strip to the city of Gaza.
These clashes came in light of the heavy deployment of the Executive Forces of the Ministry of the Interior in the main streets and at the junctions in towns and villages of the Gaza governorates, in implementation of the decree made yesterday by the Interior Minister, Said Siyam.
Hundreds of members of the Executive Forces, bearing arms and their own special cars, were deployed to prevent any violent acts which may be detrimental to the public sector, especially after the acts of violence that the Gaza Strip witnessed on Saturday.
The spokesman for the Interior Ministry, Khaled Abu Hilal, announced the intention of the ministry to confront any violent protests in the Palestinian street, saying 'The judicial authorities would chase the protesting Palestinian security forces, sooner or later,' accusing external parties of being behind these protests.
The director of public relations at Ash Shifa' hospital reported that the child Hasan Abu Al Hatal was killed by a bullet in his head during the exchange of fire between the Executive Forces and the security forces.
The Al Arabiya Channel photographer, Jamal Abu Nahil, was injured by a bullet while covering the events in Gaza city. He was also transferred to the Ash Shifa' hospital to receive treatment.
A number of gunmen from the security forces broke into the Bank of Palestine in the city of Gaza and destroyed its contents. The bank's administration declared that all the bank's branches in Gaza Strip will be closed.
Palestinian sources confirmed that dozens of Palestinian gunmen besieged the home of a senior officer in the Preventative Security apparatus in the Ash Sheikh Raswan neighbourhood in Gaza city.
Eyewitnesses reported that gunmen launched two rocket-propelled grenades towards a car and a jeep in the region, resulting in their incineration.
One Palestinian citizen was injured near the Bank of Palestine in Omar Al Mukhtar Street in the center of the city during an attempt by the Executive Forces to disperse dozens of demonstrators there.
In the latest development, Deputy president of the PLC, Dr Ahmad Bahar has called President Abbas via phone to urge him intervene immediately to stop the violence and withdraw the security forces from the streets. President Abbas told him that he has already given orders to withdraw the security forces.