GAZA, June 14 (Reuters) - A Hamas gunman was killed and a senior Palestinian security official from a force loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas was wounded in Gaza on Wednesday in violence that could further inflame internal tensions.
Security sources said the gunman was shot dead after he and other masked militants ambushed a car carrying the official, Refat Kullab, who heads the Preventive Security Service in the southern town of Khan Younis.
Officials from the ruling Hamas militant movement said Preventive Security members in Kullab's car fired first.
Kullab was wounded in both legs and was in a moderate to serious condition in hospital, the security sources said.
Growing violence between Hamas and groups aligned to Abbas have raised fears of civil war in the Palestinian territories. Around 20 people have been killed in clashes in the past month.
Tensions have been stoked by a referendum that Abbas has called for July 26 on a proposal for a Palestinian state side-by-side with Israel.
Hamas, which took office in March after beating Abbas's Fatah movement in parliamentary elections, does not recognize Israel and has labeled the referendum a coup attempt.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsA...82010_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST.xml&archived=False
Security sources said the gunman was shot dead after he and other masked militants ambushed a car carrying the official, Refat Kullab, who heads the Preventive Security Service in the southern town of Khan Younis.
Officials from the ruling Hamas militant movement said Preventive Security members in Kullab's car fired first.
Kullab was wounded in both legs and was in a moderate to serious condition in hospital, the security sources said.
Growing violence between Hamas and groups aligned to Abbas have raised fears of civil war in the Palestinian territories. Around 20 people have been killed in clashes in the past month.
Tensions have been stoked by a referendum that Abbas has called for July 26 on a proposal for a Palestinian state side-by-side with Israel.
Hamas, which took office in March after beating Abbas's Fatah movement in parliamentary elections, does not recognize Israel and has labeled the referendum a coup attempt.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsA...82010_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST.xml&archived=False