Two months after losing Gaza, Fatah operatives are leading Friday prayers as weekly demonstrations to protest against the Hamas regime in the coastal enclave.
The weekly gatherings evolved after Fatah officials decided to boycott the Hamas-controlled mosques due to what they called the clerics’ incitement against their leaders by organizing prayers for its supporters in public places.
Hamas has strong enlistment through mosques advocating its ideas of struggle and violence. In three years the number of mosques has jumped from 200 to 600 in Gaza City alone.
At the end of last Friday’s prayers Fatah supporters clashed with the Executive Force, the Hamas paramilitary policing Gaza, after marching toward former Fatah-controlled security installations, throwing stones and empty bottles at them.
In retaliation Hamas security personnel fired into the air before beating and arresting several protesters. They also briefly detained three journalists and smashed their cameras.
Meanwhile, Fatah leaders in Ramallah said that last Friday’s confrontations marked the beginning of a "popular uprising" against the Hamas government. They described the demonstrations as genuine expressions of disappointment with the Hamas regime.
Hamas officials, for their part, accused Fatah operatives of trying to exploit the ongoing Israeli “aggression” in the Gaza Strip to stir unrest and undermine internal security.
"They want to take the Gaza Strip back to the days of anarchy and lawlessness," said Hamas spokesman, Tahir A-Nounou.
This week Fatah has already selected three places in Rafah, Khan Younis and Gaza City for its supporters to gather for the Friday prayers. The gatherings are expected to end up in demonstrations against Hamas and security forces.
Fatah also called on journalists to challenge the Hamas ban imposed on the media and cover both the prayers and the demonstrations.
Since Hamas seized Gaza last June, its security people have roughed up dozens of journalists covering events related to their attacks on Fatah rivals in Gaza.