Palestinians mourn Fatah men killed by Hamas

THOUSANDS of Palestinians carried bodies draped in yellow flags through pouring rain yesterday in a funeral procession for seven Fatah members killed by Hamas gunmen. Fatah said it was suspending talks with its rival until the assailants were brought to justice.

Meanwhile, assailants outside a Gaza mosque gunned down a Muslim preacher moments after he delivered a sermon warning that God would punish those responsible for the seven killings.

Dozens of Fatah gunmen marched in the funeral procession for Col Mohammed Ghayeb and six of his bodyguards, who were killed on Thursday in the bloodiest single battle in weeks of factional fighting in the Gaza Strip.

The mourners fired shots in the air and called for vengeance against the Islamic militant group Hamas, which is locked in a power struggle with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party over control of the Palestinian government.