Following a brief respite, hostilities have resumed in the Ein al-Hilwa refugee camp in Lebanon between Palestinian militias and the Fatah organization. Arab networks report that at least two Fatah members were killed in the recent confrontations that erupted on Thursday night after a day of quiet.
News emerged that Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, attempted to broker a ceasefire. Similarly, Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, is reported to have stepped in, striving to halt the hostilities and pacify tensions in the camp. Based on Arab reports, Haniyeh liaised with Hezbollah's Secretary-General and senior officials in the Lebanese Parliament in his quest to encourage the cessation of conflict.
Overnight clashes in Lebanon's Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian camp leaves Fatah member dead https://t.co/FjcP1hTkt6
ā Mossad Japan (@MossadJapan) August 3, 2023
The clashes ignited when operatives from Fatah, which has control over the camp, attempted and failed to eliminate a high-ranking member of a rival Palestinian militia. The fallout resulted in the deaths of the targeted individual's aides, marking the start of an escalating cycle of violence. The body count continues to rise in the aftermath of this failed operation.
The ongoing violent exchanges are taking place in a densely populated refugee camp, home to approximately 50,000 people. Videos emerging from Ein al-Hilwa even depict gunmen discharging an RPG in the middle of a busy street. As a result of the rampant crossfire, which has resulted in shattered windows in homes and shops, numerous residents have been compelled to abandon their homes. A nearby hospital has also announced the evacuation of both its staff and patients.
Intelligence reports indicate weapons were smuggled into Ein El Hilwa camp in sidon from Syria as part of an operation controlled by Syrian Intelligence. #Lebanon #Beirut #Syria #Jundelsham #Palestinian #Fatah #Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/R1bJ4tIBFF
ā specialforceulm (@Specialforceulm) August 4, 2023
The Lebanese army reported that a stray shell fired during the clashes struck its base, located outside the refugee camp, injuring one soldier whose condition is now stable. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has reported damage to two of its schools in the camp and subsequently suspended all its activities there. UNRWA's chief in Lebanon, Dorothy Klaus, implored "all armed men" via Twitter to ensure the safety of the inhabitants and avoid harm to UN facilities.
Southern Lebanon: Palestinian Eid al-Hilwa "camp" witnesses heavy exchange of fire as Fatah's regional national security commander killed
ā Kilkenny Friends of Israel (@KilkennyOf) July 31, 2023
Since last night, intense gunfire has erupted in the Palestinian "camp" of Ein al-Khilwa near Sidon. pic.twitter.com/B2OYIqjzRC
Lebanese security forces have been abstaining from intervening directly within the refugee camp. However, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the ongoing hostilities and appealed to the local Palestinian leadership to "cooperate with the army" to regain control of the situation. Lebanon is home to a total of 12 Palestinian refugee camps, accommodating approximately 400,000 refugees and their descendants who fled Israel during the 1948 War of Independence.
