Fatah defiance

The Israeli army has been pounding the northern Gaza Strip with a massive artillery, air and naval attack for the past 48 hours. Israel has claimed the attacks are meant to stop rocket firing from the Gaza Strip. Israeli artillery hit the northern Gaza Strip with more than 150 shells Saturday.

Meanwhile, dozens of armed Fatah members on Saturday fired into the air, rejecting the Palestinian prime minister's call to end a public display of weapons. Samir Masharawi, a senior figure in Fatah movement, arrived from a trip to Egypt on Saturday, a day after four people were killed in factional fighting.

The violence was sparked by the assassination of a senior commander of the Popular Resistance Committees. His group accused several prominent Fatah figures, including Masharawi, of involvement.

Early Saturday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas urged calm and called for an end to public displays of weapons. But Masharawi rejected to the call.

"I will not be able to convince the Palestinian citizens or the sons of Fatah who feel very offended" by the accusations, he said. "When the government starts a correct beginning ... then we will cooperate to end the public display of weapons."