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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Mosque gun battle rages in Gaza | Mosque gun battle rages in Gaza |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least six 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 surrounded then raided a mosque where followers of a radical Islamist cleric were holed up. | Eyewitnesses say hundreds of Hamas fighters and policemen surrounded then raided a mosque where followers of a radical Islamist cleric were holed up. |
| They had fired rocket-propelled grenades at the mosque in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, witnesses say. | They had fired rocket-propelled grenades at the mosque in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, witnesses say. |
| It is thought that at least 100 supporters of the al-Qaeda-linked group, Jund Ansar Allah, were inside. | |
| Hamas said a grenade fired from the mosque killed one of its fighters. The other fatalities were reported to be gunmen, and a child was also killed. | Hamas said a grenade fired from the mosque killed one of its fighters. The other fatalities were reported to be gunmen, and a child was also killed. |
| Fighting pledge | Fighting pledge |
| Earlier, during Friday prayers, hundreds of worshippers at Ibn-Taymiyah mosque declared Gaza an "Islamic emirate". | Earlier, during Friday prayers, hundreds of worshippers at Ibn-Taymiyah mosque declared Gaza an "Islamic emirate". |
| The mosque's imam - Abdul-Latif Moussa - and armed supporters swore to fight to the death rather than hand over authority of the mosque to Hamas. | |
| Jund Ansar Allah (Army of the Helpers of God) 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. | The group is very critical of Hamas, which governs Gaza, accusing the Islamist group of not being Islamist enough. |
| Hamas has cracked down on al-Qaeda-inspired groups in the past. | Hamas has cracked down 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. | 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. |