Palestinians sent back to Gaza by Israelis

Source: Agencies  |   2008-8-4  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

MOST of the 180 Fatah supporters who fled into Israel from a deadly Hamas crackdown were due to be sent back into the Gaza Strip yesterday, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.

The men, members of a Gaza clan linked to Fatah, escaped to Israel under fire on Saturday after a Hamas raid on their family's stronghold left nine people dead and nearly 90 wounded.

The violence, some of the worst infighting Gaza has seen since Hamas seized control in the territory a year ago, forced the Palestinians to seek refuge in Israel ?? their longtime enemy.

A group of around 30 was sent back to Gaza yesterday morning, and Israeli defense officials said the rest would also be returned to Gaza rather than be allowed to relocate to the Fatah-controlled West Bank. The officials said this was in keeping with a request from the moderate Palestinian president, Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas, to send the men back.

The wounded would be allowed to remain in Israeli hospitals, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information had not been officially made public.

Nimr Hammad, a political adviser to Abbas, said anyone wanted by Hamas would be allowed to remain in the West Bank for their safety, while the rest will be returned "to their families and their homes." He would not say how many were included in each group or offer an explanation.

Israel said it was Abbas who originally asked to let them through, but the Palestinian leader might fear that allowing the men to stay in the West Bank would be handing Hamas a victory while weakening his own supporters in Gaza.

Hamas had arrested the men who were sent back and would question them.