Hamas, Fatah announce new cease-fire
(3 Feb 2007) ++NIGHT SHOTS++ Gaza City, Gaza Strip 1. Various set ups of Fatah representative, Samir Mashharawi coming out of Egyptian embassy 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Samir Mashharawi, Fatah representative: "This evening the 2nd of February 2007, a meeting was held between leaders of Hamas and Fatah parties with the Egyptian security delegation and with the blessing of Palestinian president Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and Khaled Mashaal, head of Hamas. They agreed on the following things: One, to stop immediately the exchange of fire between both sides. Two, pull out all militants and armed people from the streets. Three, to continue the meetings tomorrow." 3. Samir Mashharawi and officials leaving news conference 4. Samir Mashharawi walking to car 5. Car driving away in convoy 6. Various to shots of gunmen on the streets in Gaza AUDIO gunfire STORYLINE Leaders of rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah announced they had agreed in principle to a new cease-fire late on Friday, after battling each other at universities, a radio station and in streets across the Gaza Strip. Seventeen people, including four children, died before the factions' leaders announced the truce - in the deadliest single day of their power struggle. The deal was announced after a meeting at the Egyptian embassy in Gaza City. "They (Fatah and Hamas) agreed on the following things: One, to stop immediately the exchange of fire between both sides. Two, the pull out all militants and armed people from the streets. Three, to continue the meetings tomorrow," said Fatah representative, Samir Mashharawi. But both sides said they needed time to pull their volatile forces off the streets, and fierce gun battles raged across Gaza in the hours after the announcement. Earlier on Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had appealed for calm, as a new wave of factional fighting raged through the region and he reiterated that in theory he was willing to travel to Saudi Arabia for new talks with his Hamas counterpart Khaled Mashaal. The two leaders met in Syria last month, but failed to reach agreement on forming a government. More than 100 Palestinians have been killed in internal violence since Hamas won parliamentary elections last year and formed a Cabinet. In the wake of the election, Hamas established its own militia, as a counterweight to the security forces controlled by Abbas. The forces have fought repeatedly in the streets. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
