2 Palestinians killed during funeral in Lebanon refugee camp

BEIRUT — At slightest 2 Palestinians were killed and respective injured aft gunfire broke retired during the Sunday ceremonial of a Hamas subordinate killed successful a exile campy days earlier, Lebanon’s authorities quality agency, Palestinian and Lebanese officials said.

The National News Agency said 2 were killed and 7 were injured erstwhile what it described arsenic an “altercation” broke retired during the Hamas-organized funeral.

But Hamas spokesperson Ayman Shanaa enactment the decease toll astatine four, telling Palestinian media that the killings took spot erstwhile gunmen opened occurrence astatine the mourners. Shanaa didn’t instantly blasted anyone for the shooting.

The root of the gunfire was not instantly wide successful the tense Burj Shamali camp, which was rocked by a bid of explosions precocious Friday that killed the Hamas member. The origin of the explosions was besides disputed. The Palestinian Hamas radical said an electrical short-circuit successful a retention country for oxygen bottles caused the blast.

A Lebanese information authoritative said the detonation happened successful an ammunition depot, however. NNA had besides reported an detonation successful a Hamas arms warehouse successful the camp, saying a fig were killed and injured.

Sunday’s ceremonial for Hamza Chahine drew scores of mourners. The gunfire broke retired earlier his assemblage arrived astatine the burial site.

Lebanese information forces don’t run wrong the exile camps, wherever information is successful the hands of Palestinian factions who often vie for clout.

A Lebanese information authoritative said reports from the campy suggest clashes broke retired betwixt rival Palestinian factions during the funeral. The authoritative said 3 were killed successful the violence.

One Palestinian authoritative said infiltrators utilized the juncture to sprout astatine the mourners. He said 1 of the injured is successful captious condition. Another Palestinian authoritative said during a 21-gun-salute for the deceased, errant shots killed 2 of the mourners. All officials spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

Shanaa said Hamas was moving to incorporate the fallout from the violence.

Lebanon is location to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants. Many unrecorded successful the 12 exile camps that are scattered astir the tiny Mediterranean country.