UPDATED: PALESTINIAN CIVIL WAR WATCH

Abbas declares Hamas force in Gaza illegal (Reuters)

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday declared illegal a Hamas security force in Gaza, after a spasm of violence between fighters of the ruling Islamist group and those loyal to his faction. Abbas said the Hamas Executive Force had not received official approval and demanded that it integrate into other more established Palestinian security services.

Hamas says it will double its armed force (AFP)

GAZA CITY (AFP) - The Palestinian ruling Hamas movement has said it will double the size of its armed force to 12,000 men, after president Mahmud Abbas called the troops illegal and demanded their integration into existing security structures.

Hamas-Fatah Fighting Spreads to West Bank - Ali Waked

Heavy gunbattles between Hamas and Fatah were reported in Jenin on Saturday night, while in Gaza three members of a Hamas-affiliated family were killed by Fatah gunmen. Earlier in the day, gunmen abducted Nablus deputy mayor Mahdi al-Khamdali at gunpoint, while in Ramallah gunmen, reportedly from Fatah, stormed the offices of the Hamas-controlled Ministry of the Interior, shot the office manager in his legs, and abducted him. (Ynet News)

Dahlan: Hamas Are Murderers - Ali Waked

Tens of thousands of Fatah supporters gathered for a mass rally in Gaza Sunday in an impressive show of strength. Muhammad Dahlan, Fatah's strongman in Gaza, was surrounded by dozens of gunmen, who fired in the air whenever Hamas' name was mentioned. Many posters carrying Saddam Hussein's image could be seen at the rally. The crowd cried, "Hamas are Shiites, Hamas are Shiites," but Dahlan said, "They aren't Shiites, they are murderers." Dahlan also warned Hamas: "For every attack against Fatah we will respond twofold; if the Hamas leadership thinks it's safe from harm, it's wrong." (Ynet News)

Hamas threatens Abbas, Dahlan (JNW)

The Islamist "Palestinian" terror group Hamas, which also holds a majority in the western-created Palestinian Authority (PA), has warned PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah security henchman Mohammed Dahlan to lay off Hamas or face assassination.