UTV | Jabaliya, Gaza: An explosion struck the convoy of the Palestinian prime minister Tuesday as he was making a rare visit to Gaza, in what his Fatah party called an assassination attempt it blamed on Gaza militants.
The explosion went off shortly after the convoy entered Gaza through the Erez crossing with Israel. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah was unharmed and went on to inaugurate a long-awaited sewage plant project in the northern part of the strip. But Fatah quickly held Hamas rulers responsible for the “cowardly attack” on the convoy, further escalating tensions between the bitter rival factions.
Three of the vehicles in Hamdallah’s convoy were damaged, their windows blown out. One had signs of blood on the door.
In a statement, Hamas said the targeting of Hamdallah’s motorcade was “part of attempt to damage the security of Gaza and deal a blow to efforts to finalise reconciliation”. Hamas-led security forces said they had launched an investigation.
Hamdallah, who is based in the West Bank, arrived in Hamas-run Gaza to inaugurate the sewage plant and said there that the attack will “not deter from seeking to end the bitter split. We will still come to Gaza.” (Courtesy – Gulfnews)