Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who defied PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's "presidential decree" to dissolve the Hamas-led government, called for unity among Palestinians and urged people to remain calm as fighters from his Hamas movement consolidated their hold on Gaza. Haniyeh said Hamas was still committed to unity agreements it signed with Fatah. "I still affirm that the road is open and wide to reformulating these relations on a firm nationalistic basis," Haniyeh said, speaking after Muslim Friday prayers in Gaza City. Haniyeh promised to restore security to the anarchic and poverty-stricken territory, asked Gazans to display "self-restraint" and urged an end to the widespread looting of the houses and property of Fatah officials. Earlier, on its first day of full rule in Gaza, Hamas freed 10 senior Fatah leaders it had earlier seized in the Gaza Strip. Abu Obeideh, a spokesman for the Islamic group who announced the release of the detainees, said it was "a new stage of tolerance and appeasement, commanded by Allah."
The detainees included the commander of Abbas's Presidential Guard, Mohammed el-Presi, his deputy and PA National Security Organization Commander Jamal el-Qaid. A senior Fatah spokesman, a lawmaker and six other officials were also arrested. Obeideh said Hamas would "offer amnesty" to all those who are with different opinions. "Our battle is not with Fatah... but with the group that tried to implement an external agenda," he said. "We protect our people's right, everywhere and anyone... regardless of their affiliation to move freely."
However, Hamas also said that a Fatah supporter was thrown to his death by the family of a man he was accused of having killed earlier. Elsewhere, a senior Fatah official committed suicide after learning he was on Hamas's wanted list, Fatah said.
Obeideh also called for the immediate release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, who was kidnapped in March and is believed held by a powerful Gaza clan whose members had ties to both Hamas and Fatah. "We will not allow for his continued detention," Abu Obaidah said of Johnston.
Hamas also announced that it had seized weapons and armor, including 100 Kalashnikov rifles, rocket propelled grenades and mortar shells, from Abbas's Preventive Security Force. Earlier Friday, a Hamas leader in the Strip said that it was "now the end of secularism and heresy in the Gaza Strip."
Niza Il'an, one of the group's Gaza chiefs, told a Hamas television station that the group would "welcome with open arms anyone who repents."