Palestinian factions in West Bank’s Nablus agree to end violence
'It was agreed to end all disputes and stop the tensions in the city'
A ceasefire agreement was announced on Wednesday between Palestinian factions in the West Bank city of Nablus after more than 24 hours of clashes.
The deal was sealed during a meeting between Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces and Hamas militants late Tuesday night, according to an official statement. The outbreak of violence was triggered by the arrest of a prominent Hamas member in Nablus Musaab al-Shtayyeh as well as two other wanted suspects.
“It was agreed to end all disputes and stop the tensions in the city. There is a commitment not to prosecute Musaab al-Shtayyeh,” the statement said.
At least two people were reportedly killed during the violent clashes, one of them a security officer. Shtayyeh is believed to be a close associate of Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, an operative for Hamas' rival Fatah movement who was killed in a West Bank raid last month.
Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas issued a press statement, condemning the arrest and demanding Shtayyeh's "immediate release along with all the resistance fighters and political detainees."
The PA’s show of force against radical elements of Palestinian society appears to be a response to Israeli criticism of the ruling body’s inability to put a lid on violent attacks perpetrated against Israeli soldiers and civilians.