VZCZCXRO4156
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1191/01 1641539
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131539Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7997
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001191 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS, USAID 
FOR WARD/DUNN/RAGLAND 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG KPAL IS PTER ASEC PINS
SUBJECT: GAZA UPDATE: 1800 LOCAL JUNE 13: HAMAS PRESSURES 
PASF BASES; 2 UNRWA STAFF KILLED 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 1186 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  Interfactional violence continued in Gaza 
June 13, with at least 16 Palestinians killed since 1200 
local.  Most fighting involved Hamas 
military-wing/8Executive Force8 attacks against Palestinian 
security forces (PASF) installations and homes/offices of 
senior Fatah leaders and PASF commanders.  Shooting continues 
in Gaza City and central Gaza as of 1700 local.  Hamas 
reportedly destroyed a Preventive Security (PSO) base in Khan 
Yunis and took over a National Security Forces (NSF) position 
there.  Unknown gunmen shot and killed two local UNRWA staff 
in Gaza City mid-day on June 13.  UNRWA has temporarily 
suspended its operations in the Gaza Strip.  Both Hamas and 
Fatah forces have set up checkpoints in major cities and 
highways, but according to all reports, Hamas dominates most 
critical routes.  Fatah militants in Nablus and Ramallah 
kidnapped at least 13 Hamas members and are reportedly 
threatening to kill them in retaliation for deaths of Fatah 
members in Gaza.  End summary. 
 
Gaza City and North Gaza 
------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Local Gaza contacts report that Gaza City,s 
neighborhoods are nearly empty, except for gunmen, as of 1600 
on June 13 and that they are hearing regular automatic 
gunfire in most of the city,s neighborhoods.  They report 
that snipers and machine-gun teams occupy nearly all 
residential and commercial high-rise buildings and all 
structures near the main security square, where the al-Saraya 
NSF HQ is located.  Reports indicate that the majority of 
these gunmen are Hamas and some are Fatah.  NSF contacts 
report sporadic gunfire and Hamas probes against al-Saraya,s 
security positions. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) General Intelligence (Mukhabarat) contacts report 
heavy fire on their HQ in al-Sudaniya, Gaza City as of 1600 
local on June 13. (Note: UNRWA, whose office is in 
al-Sudaniya, corroborates reports of major fighting around 
the Mukhabarat compound.  End note).  There is regular 
shooting (including sniper fire from nearby buildings) at and 
around the PSO,s HQ in Tal al-Hawa, Gaza City, but PASF 
contacts do not report indications of an imminent assault on 
the compound. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Hamas spokesmen accused Fatah militiamen of burning 
several houses and stores owned by Hamas members in Gaza City 
on June 13.  Hamas took over the al-Muqawsi residential 
tower, home to several senior Fatah/PASF leaders, mid-day on 
June 13, after heavy Hamas-NSF fighting that killed at least 
6 Palestinians.  UNRWA reports one of its Gaza City employees 
was shot and killed in a crossfire mid-day on June 13. 
(Note: another UNRWA employee was killed in similar 
circumstances in Khan Yunis, see para. 8.  End note). 
 
Peace Demonstrations 
Fail to Calm Violence 
--------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) Demonstrators organized by MG Burhan Hamad (Egyptian 
GIS, security representative) and several civil society 
groups confronted armed gunmen in Gaza City,s streets, and 
in several cases were chased off by gunfire.  Gunmen shot and 
injured at least four demonstrators on the afternoon of June 
13 (several others were reportedly beaten).  Gunmen from 
Hamas and Fatah exchanged fire when demonstrators approached 
a contested area near the al-Muqawsi and al-Karamah towers. 
 
Ongoing NSF-Hamas Fighting 
in Central Gaza 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) &Executive Force8 fighters fired at 3 NSF bases 
and the PSO HQ in Dayr al-Balah starting o/a 1200 on June 13, 
but security contacts report that the NSF repelled the 
attackers and that fighting died down to sporadic shooting by 
¶1430.  One &Executive Force8 and one NSF soldier were 
killed and several from both sides injured in the attacks. 
PASF contacts also report fighting near NSF positions in 
al-Maghazi Refugee Camp, but said the NSF drove off the Hamas 
attackers. 
 
At Least 11 Killed in Explosive 
Attack on Khan Yunis PSO Base 
------------------------------- 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00001191  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Unconfirmed media and UN OCHA reports indicate that 
an explosive tunnel detonated under the PSO HQ in Khan Yunis 
mid-day June 13 and killed at least 11 PASF members.  PASF 
contacts report heavy fighting near both the PSO and 
Mukhabarat headquarters in Khan Yunis, but the Hamas 
military-wing publicly claims to have seized these positions. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) UNRWA contacts report that an UNRWA local employee 
was shot and killed when trapped in a shootout between Hamas 
and PASF gunmen on June 13.  UNRWA has suspended operations 
except for emergency medical and food distribution in the 
Gaza Strip until the situation calms. 
 
West Bank:  Hamas Members Shot, 
Taken Hostage by Fatah Gunmen 
------------------------------ 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in Ramallah abducted a 
Hamas activist, Muhammad Maharaq and released a video to 
local media showing Maharaq surrounded by masked gunmen who 
threatened to execute him if Hamas continues its attacks in 
Gaza.  Security contacts report that Fatah gunmen shot and 
damaged the office of al-Umariya Charitable Society while 
kidnapping Maharaq. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) NSF contacts report that al-Aqsa Brigades gunmen 
abducted 11 Hamas activists in a Nablus Hamas office mid-day 
June 13 and shot and injured at least 2 Hamas members as of 
1600 local.  Ma,an News network reports that al-Aqsa 
Brigades threatened &to strike back at West Bank Hamas 
within 12 hours if aggression against Fatah and security 
officials does not cease in Gaza.8  Al-Aqsa Brigades gunmen 
raided pro-Hamas television producer al-Sana,s offices on 
June 13, ending its operations.  Local contacts report that 
Nablus, streets are largely empty due to fear of factional 
violence. 
WALLES