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Suspect in Attempted Murder of Palestinian PM Dies of Wounds After Arrest

The prime suspect in the attempted assassination of Rami Hamdallah, whose motorcade came under bomb attack in the Gaza Strip last week, was captured by Hamas security force members after a deadly fight.
Sputnik

The suspect died after sustaining injuries following the raid. Two officers from Hamas, the Islamist movement that governs the Gaza Strip, were also killed in the fighting.

Salah al Bardawil, Hamas’ top official, released a statement saying that two accomplices of the suspect had also been captured.

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A fight broke out earlier on Thursday in Nuseirat, south of Gaza City, when Hamas forces launched a manhunt to catch the man behind the bombing attack against the Palestinian prime minister. Security forces erected checkpoints and were searching all cars, according to an ADP correspondent.

Hamdallah's motorcade was hit by a roadside bomb blast in the Gaza Strip on March 13. The prime minister was not hurt in the incident.

Gaza Strip Police Detain Suspects of Blowing Up Palestinian PM's Motorcade
After the incident, the Palestinian National Authority accused Hamas of carrying out the attack. The movement denied the accusations, condemning the attack and asking Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to impose sanctions on Gaza over the incident. Hamas also asked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to impose sanctions on Gaza over the incident, calling for law enforcement agencies in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to join efforts.

READ MORE: Palestinian Gov't Demands Hamas to Hand Over Full Control Over Gaza Strip

Hamas and its rival party Fatah, which is headed by Mahmoud Abbas, have been at odds as each of them saw itself as the legitimate representative of Palestinians. The conflict resulted in the split of the Palestinian territories, with Fatah controlling the Palestinian National Authority in the West Bank and Hamas governing in Gaza.

In October 2017, the two sides signed a reconciliation agreement, prior to which Hamas had agreed to hand over the administrative control of the Gaza Strip and begin talks with Fatah on the general election in Palestine.

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