A shootout erupted Friday night between activists from Hamas and Fatah in the central Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis, wounding one police officer and one Hamas follower, police said. The violence broke out when a small group of Hamas supporters shot at Fatah loyalists who were tearing down Hamas election posters, police said. The Fatah activists and nearby police shot back.
The incident was the second in Khan Yunis on Friday. Earlier in the day, three people were injured in a clash between Fatah and Hamas, one by gunfire and two by rock throwing.
Meanwhile, President Bush said Friday in an interview with "CBS Evening News" that the United States would cut aid to the Palestinian government unless Hamas abolishes its armed wing and stops calling for the destruction of Israel. If the group fails to change its policies, Bush said, "we won't deal with them."
"The aid packages won't go forward," he told CBS. "That's their decision to make, but we won't be providing help to a government that wants to destroy our ally and friend."
