Palestinian PM survives Gaza bomb attack

GAZA: The Palestinian prime minister on Tuesday survived an attack on his convoy as he made a rare visit to Gaza.

The bomb went off near the main crossing from Israel shortly after Rami Hamdallah’s delegation entered the territory.

The attack injured six of his guards, badly damaged two of the vehicles and blew a hole in the faltering reconciliation process between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions.

Hamas, which controls Gaza, signed a deal in October with Fatah, the main power in the West Bank and the party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The agreement was meant to pass full control of Gaza back to the Palestinian Authority. But so far only security at Gaza’s border crossings has been handed to officials from the authority. Tuesday’s attack risked a flare up in tensions between the factions. Some Fatah officials blamed Hamas for the security breach.

After the attack, Hamdallah continued to the opening ceremony of a new wastewater treatment plant.

“What happened is a disgraceful act and will only increase our determination to serve the Gaza Strip,” Hamadallah said, shortly before leaving Gaza.

He had planned to visit Hamas officials but cut the visit short.

Hamas condemned the attack, accusing “Israel and its agents” of carrying it out.