Into the Void

The undeclared Palestinian civil war has more casualties to add to the butchers' bill.

A new Hamas-led militia battled gunmen from a Fatah-dominated security force near the Palestinian parliament in Gaza on Monday in fresh internal fighting and medics said a Jordanian citizen was killed.

Palestinian security sources said the Jordanian was driving a car with Jordanian diplomatic license plates when he was caught in crossfire. Six civilian bystanders and a policeman were wounded, medics said.

Witnesses said members of the new force set up by the ruling militant Islamic group returned fire after coming under attack.

Hamas officials said the assailants were from the Preventive Security agency, staffed largely by men loyal to the long-dominant Fatah group of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Jerusalem Post reports that the dead Jordanian was the driver of the Jordanian ambassador. Six others were wounded in that clash.

Meanwhile, there was still more violence overnight:

Unidentified gunmen killed a militant from Fatah movement overnight in Gaza. Fatah accused Hamas of killing the man. Hamas said the gunman was killed when he and another man tried to kidnap a Hamas member in the southern Gaza strip.

And there was still more gunfire near the Palestinian parliment building - with a couple more people injured.

Barry Rubin offers his thoughts on a Palestinian civil war.

UPDATE:
Even Palestinians are wondering whether they're witnessing a civil war between Hamas and Fatah. The rival groups are staking out corners and engaging in firefights. There is no good side in this fight - it's between bad and worse.