Militants open fire at Gaza primary school

Palestinian militants opened fire at a festival at a UN-operated primary school in the southern Gaza Strip today, killing a bodyguard of a local Fatah leader and wounding seven other people, medical officials said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Muslim extremists had earlier visited the school, warning authorities not to hold the festival, UN and security officials said.

It was not clear why the extremists objected to the event, or whether they were behind the shooting, the officials said.

A number of foreigners, including John Ging, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza, were inside the school when the shooting broke out, a UN official said.

Mr Ging was not hurt, but remained inside the school, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Palestinian medical officials identified the dead man as a bodyguard of Majid Abu Shameleh, a senior official in President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement.

Abu Shameleh was leaving the event when the shooting happened. No children were hurt.

Fatah and the Islamic militant group Hamas formed a coalition government in March aimed at ending months of Palestinian infighting.

While the sides have largely halted their attacks on each other, Gaza continues to be plagued by clan violence, kidnappings and other crime.

The violence has included a string of attacks on internet cafes, music stores and restaurants by Islamic extremists.