October 1 marked the worst Palestinian-Palestinian clashes since the start of Al-Aqsa Intifada on September 28, 2000, during which nine Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were killed and over 90 others wounded. The fighting, between members of the Fateh-affiliated security forces, including the preventive security services, and the national and presidential security apparatuses and the executive force under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, broke out after members of the security forces took to the streets in protest of not receiving their salaries, closing off major thoroughfares in Gaza.

The fighting between the two sides raged on throughout the day in the Gaza Strip areas of Gaza City, Khan Younis and Breij, spilling over into the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Nablus. In Ramallah, angry Fateh protesters broke into the Council of Ministers (cabinet) building, setting it ablaze. In Gaza, armed members of the security services raided a branch of the Bank of Palestine and destroyed its furniture before being pushed out. The bank later ordered all its Gaza Strip branches shut down.

While most of the casualties were members of the security and executive forces, two children were also killed in the clashes – 15-year-old Hasan Abul Hatel and 16-year-old Mohammed Al Afghani – and several others wounded.

President Abbas, in Amman, Jordan at the time of the clashes, called on the security services to resume their positions and halt their protests. He also called on the executive forces to withdraw from Gaza’s streets and for all to halt the infighting. In Gaza, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh also called for calm, appealing to the people to adhere to national unity, especially in light of the recent Israeli military escalation against the Gaza Strip.

According to Palestinian media sources, Egyptian mediation began last night to help contain the internal situation.