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Gaza rally against Mid-East talks | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in the Gaza Strip against the Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, in the United States. | |
Leaders of the Islamist movement Hamas, which governs Gaza, said the summit was "doomed to failure". | |
Smaller demonstrations, staged in the Fatah-governed West Bank, were broken up by police loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. | |
Earlier, three people were killed in Gaza, in two attacks by Israel's army. | |
No compromise | |
The Hamas leader, former Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, launched a scathing attack on supporters of the peace conference. | |
Mr Haniya restated Hamas' anti-Israel stance | |
"We are sure that the Annapolis conference will not change the reality of history and geography," he told the crowd, amid chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". | |
"Any conference that goes beyond this reality is doomed to failure." | |
Hamas, which the US regards as a terrorist organisation, was not invited to the Annapolis talks. | |
Another Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar, said: "Today you are here to send a message to say the land of Palestine is not for sale." | |
"Whoever thinks we will recognise a Jewish state are deluding themselves. There will be no recognition of the state of Israel." | |
Meanwhile, an anti-Annapolis protester was shot dead in Hebron, in the West Bank, by Palestinian security forces loyal to Mr Abbas, who is in Annapolis. | |
Others were wounded as Fatah-led forces intervened in Hebron and also in other West Bank cities like Ramallah and Nablus. | |
Palestinians killed | |
Earlier in the day, two Hamas members were killed in an Israeli air strike near the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, the Islamist movement said. | |
Israeli military officials said the armed men were approaching the barrier between Israel and Gaza. | Israeli military officials said the armed men were approaching the barrier between Israel and Gaza. |
And in southern Gaza, medical staff said a civilian was shot dead by Israeli troops near the Sufa crossing. | And in southern Gaza, medical staff said a civilian was shot dead by Israeli troops near the Sufa crossing. |
However the Israeli army said that the man was crawling towards the crossing in a "suspicious manner". | However the Israeli army said that the man was crawling towards the crossing in a "suspicious manner". |
Israel has stepped up attacks on Gaza in recent months, in what it says is an attempt to stop Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel. | Israel has stepped up attacks on Gaza in recent months, in what it says is an attempt to stop Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel. |
Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in Gaza on Monday. | Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in Gaza on Monday. |