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Mosque gun battle rages in Gaza Mosque gun battle rages in Gaza
(20 minutes later)
At least four people have been killed and dozens injured in a fierce gun battle in Gaza, emergency services say. At least six people have been killed and dozens injured in a fierce gun battle in Gaza, emergency services say.
Eyewitnesses say hundreds of Hamas fighters and policemen have surrounded a mosque where followers of a radical Islamist cleric have been hiding.Eyewitnesses say hundreds of Hamas fighters and policemen have surrounded a mosque where followers of a radical Islamist cleric have been hiding.
They have been firing rocket-propelled grenades at the mosque in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, witnesses say.They have been firing rocket-propelled grenades at the mosque in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, witnesses say.
It is thought that about two dozen supporters of the al-Qaeda group Warriors of God are inside. It is thought that at least 100 supporters of the al-Qaeda-linked group Warriors of God are inside.
Hamas says a grenade fired from the mosque has killed one of its fighters.
Fighting pledge
Earlier, during Friday prayers, hundreds of worshippers declared Gaza an "Islamic emirate".
The mosque's imam - Abdel-Latif Moussa - and armed supporters swore to fight to the death rather than hand over authority of the mosque to Hamas.
Warriors of God, or Jund Ansar Allah, gained some prominence two months ago when it staged a failed attack on a border crossing between Gaza and Israel.
The group is very critical of Hamas, which governs Gaza, accusing the Islamist group of not being Islamist enough.
Hamas has cracked down hard on al-Qaeda-inspired groups in the past.
It is concerned they may attract more extremist members, and has forbidden anyone except what it describes as Hamas security personnel to carry weapons in Gaza.