A Fatah member and employee of the Preventive Security Service (PSS) was killed in Gaza on Sunday morning by anonymous armed men, sparking fears of widespread violence erupting among supporters of Fatah and Hamas.
It is assumed the killers were members of Hamas.
The family of Muhamad Shehada, 27, has accused members of the Executive Force, which was established by the Hamas-dominated Interior Ministry, of the killing.
Many civilians and members of the PSS protested on Sunday, blocking main arteries in the Gaza Strip, urging an end to the security chaos in the area, and demanding the killers be punished.
Also, security sources said a Fatah activist was kidnapped in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday night.
Armed clashes broke out on Saturday in the Bureij camp in Gaza between Palestinian security personnel, who were demanding salaries, and members of the Executive Force.
Two people were seriously wounded in the clashes, the Ma’an News Agency reported.
The recent spate of violence came days after Fatah and Hamas agreed to an Egyptian-brokered deal to end internal violence.
Fatah and Hamas are currently involved in talks to form a unity government, but Hamas’ refusal to recognize Israel has become one of the main bones of contention in the talks.
Meanwhile, Fatah officials are warning against Hamas’ stated plan to double the number of members in its Executive Force and deploy members in the West Bank.
In a statement obtained by the official Palestinian Wafa news agency, Samir Nayifa, a Fatah spokesman in the West Bank, said it was high time that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas ordered the disbanding of this force.
Members of the force were responsible for abducting innocent civilians, threatening government employees and shooting at Fatah members, Nayifa said.
‘Abbas brought a security commander, Isma’il Jabir, out of retirement on Saturday, in order to help limit Hamas’ military power in the West Bank.