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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Mosque gun battle rages in Gaza | Mosque gun battle rages in Gaza |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| At least 13 people have been killed and at least 60 injured in a fierce gun battle in Gaza, emergency services say. | At least 13 people have been killed and at least 60 injured in a fierce gun battle in Gaza, emergency services say. |
| Eyewitnesses say hundreds of Hamas fighters and policemen surrounded a mosque where followers of a radical Islamist cleric were holed up. | |
| They fired rocket-propelled grenades at the mosque and surrounded the leader's house in Rafah, near the Egypt border. | They fired rocket-propelled grenades at the mosque and surrounded the leader's house in Rafah, near the Egypt border. |
| It is thought that at least 100 supporters of the al-Qaeda-linked group, Jund Ansar Allah, were inside. | It is thought that at least 100 supporters of the al-Qaeda-linked group, Jund Ansar Allah, were inside. |
| At least one Hamas fighter was killed by a grenade fired from the mosque but most of those killed were supporters of the cleric. One child was also killed. | At least one Hamas fighter was killed by a grenade fired from the mosque but most of those killed were supporters of the cleric. One child was also killed. |
| The entire neighbourhood has been sealed off as the battle continues. | The entire neighbourhood has been sealed off as the battle continues. |
| 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. | 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. |
| During his own Friday sermon, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, dismissed Mr Moussa's comments. | During his own Friday sermon, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, dismissed Mr Moussa's comments. |
| "These declarations [of an Islamic emirate] are aimed towards incitement against the Gaza Strip and an attempt at recruiting an international alliance against the Gaza Strip. | "These declarations [of an Islamic emirate] are aimed towards incitement against the Gaza Strip and an attempt at recruiting an international alliance against the Gaza Strip. |
| "And we warn those who are behind these Israeli Zionist declarations: the Gaza Strip only contains its people." | "And we warn those who are behind these Israeli Zionist declarations: the Gaza Strip only contains its people." |
| 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. | 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 from carrying weapons in Gaza. | It is concerned they may attract more extremist members, and has forbidden anyone except what it describes as Hamas security personnel from carrying weapons in Gaza. |