GAZA CITY (AFP)
Hamas on Tuesday banned outdoor prayers in the Gaza Strip just days after thousands of Palestinians defied the Islamist group and staged public prayers as a way of protesting against its rule.
The ban was agreed during a meeting of the Hamas-led government, which was sacked by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the wake of the Islamists' armed takeover of the Gaza Strip three months ago.
"The government examined the troubles that took place last Friday and as a result decided to ban all gatherings organised under the guise of Friday prayers," cabinet spokesman Taher al-Nunu said in a statement.
He said the previous week's outdoor prayers were "exploited to incite chaos, trouble and terrorist acts. All necessary steps will be taken to consolidate order and security in the Gaza Strip."
The outdoor prayer meeting was the biggest protest in the Gaza Strip since Hamas siezed control there on June 15.
Abbas's Fatah party and other opposition groups called the prayers, accusing Hamas of "exploiting mosques to inflame tensions and provocations."
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - a militant group loosely affiliated to Fatah - slammed Tuesday's ban and urged opposition groups, including the radical Islamic Jihad, to continue to pray outdoors in defiance of Hamas.
"We call for continued prayers and we call on Islamic Jihad and all factions to face down Hamas policy against our people, which prevented Friday prayers in public places," it said in a statement.
Hamas's self-styled police broke up smaller marches after last week's prayers, lightly wounding 10 protesters in Rafah with stun grenades, and two French television journalists were hurt at a rally in Gaza City.
Members of the Executive Force were also seen beating several protesters with batons, and demonstrators said Hamas had detained around 100 people.
Hamas has forbidden all unauthorised protests in the Gaza Strip. |
