Hamas gunmen hold victory march

THOUSANDS of masked Hamas gunmen marched in formation at a large victory rally in an empty Jewish settlement yesterday, the Islamic militant group’s latest show of strength since Israel completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

The demonstration came as thousands of Palestinians defied Palestinian and Egyptian security forces and poured across Gaza’s border into Egypt for a second straight day. A senior Israeli defence official harshly criticised the Palestinians’ failure to close the border this week, saying their credibility was at stake.

The border issue and visible Hamas presence pose a serious challenge to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is trying to assert control in Gaza. With elections approaching in January, Hamas and Abbas’s Fatah faction are locked in an increasingly bitter power struggle and each is trying to use the pullout for political gain.