Palestinian prime minister unhurt after Gaza roadside bomb attack
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah survived an assassination attempt in Gaza yesterday after a roadside bomb hit his motorcade.
The attack on the westernbacked politician, who is leading the Palestinian Authority’s attempts to reconcile with Gaza’s dominant group, Hamas, happened as the White House prepared to hold a meeting on the humanitarian situation in the enclave.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility and one PA security official in Gaza said a second device had failed to explode.
Six security guards were wounded, Mr Hamdallah said shortly after the attack.
Hamas, which condemned the attack, and the PA, said they regarded the incident as an attempt to prevent the introduction of a unity agreement signed in October, which raised hopes of improving economic conditions for Gaza’s two million people.
Minutes after the explosion the prime minister, 59, delivered a speech at the opening of an internationally funded wastewater treatment plant and pledged to continue to pursue Palestinian unity.
Mr Hamdallah said three vehicles had been damaged in the explosion, which blew out the windows of one. The blast sent debris hurtling dozens of metres away and left a crater by the roadside.
The PA said it held Hamas responsible for the attack, near the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. It did not directly accuse the group of carrying out the assault, but suggested it had failed to provide enough security.
“It was a well-planned attempt,” Mr Hamdallah said
later in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where he is based. “They planted explosive devices 2 metres deep.”
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, are still divided over how to share administrative power in the Gaza Strip under the Egyptian-brokered unity deal.
Hamas seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to Mr Abbas in 2007.
Welcomed back to Ramallah by dozens of people, including cabinet ministers, Mr Hamdallah repeated a call to Hamas to hand over control of Gaza’s police force and emergency services to the PA.
“The attack against the government of consensus is an attack against the unity of the Palestinian people,” said Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Mr Abbas.
Hamas said the attack on Mr Hamdallah’s motorcade was an attempt “to damage the security of Gaza and deal a blow to efforts to finalise reconciliation”. Hamas-led security forces said they had launched an investigation.