Palestinian Arab press roundup 1-24-09

Fatah supporters are reporting that Hamas has set up detention and torture centers in mosques and kindergartens. One mosque was mentioned specifically, Imam El-Shafei, and the kindergarten was called al-Tahir in Beit Hanoun. Hamas also continues to attack Fatah members, blowing a wall in the house of one and shooting the legs of two brothers.

One Fatah member was tortured to death last week. The 2009 PalArab self-death count is now at 38.

There are reports that Hamas is asking Egypt to arrange an 18-month truce with Israel. Which is exactly what one would expect terrorists to do if they won a war, right?

Hamas is supposedly going to appoint Khalil Al-Hayya as the "Interior Minister" to replace the dear, departed Said Siam. This scoop came courtesy of the Iranian media, who must have some really good investigative reporters - or friends in Hamas. Remember how pundits claim that Sunnis and Shiites hate each other so much that they would never cooperate? Brilliant analysis, as usual.

PalPress reports of another case of Hamas confiscating aid to Gaza and distributing it to their own sympathizers.

PalPress also reprints an Israeli report about a soldier who says that the IDF were very close to the Shifa hospital where the Hamas leaders were holed up but they didn't go in; also that he saw how Hamas hid behind the women and children while shooting from mosques and schools. One commenter, who claims to be from Gaza, agreed:

With great regret that I am one of the Gaza Strip who have lived a war from beginning to end and talk with regret that the Zionist true

Hamas has taken the peaceful citizens and children as human shields and were firing rockets from among them and escape and hide among children and also the launch of rockets from crowded places and people's enthusiasm was in line with Israel to kill the largest possible number of people of Palestine in Gaza

Suffice God yes agent

I don't know how to translate that last phrase but I often see it in the context of sadness at tragedy, making this comment seem more likely to be legitimate.