One Dead in Lebanon Palestinian Refugee Camp Clashes, Fatah Official Says

A torn Palestinian flag flutters at the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
A torn Palestinian flag flutters at the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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One Dead in Lebanon Palestinian Refugee Camp Clashes, Fatah Official Says

A torn Palestinian flag flutters at the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
A torn Palestinian flag flutters at the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

One person was killed and six others injured in overnight clashes in south Lebanon's restive Ain al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp, a Palestinian official told AFP Sunday.

Clashes inside the camp left "one dead and six camp residents injured, including children," said Mounir Makdah, a senior official in Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement.

"We are working... to end the clashes and hand over those involved in the incident," he added.

Clashes between rival groups are common in Ain al-Helweh, which is home to more than 54,000 registered Palestinian refugees who have been joined in recent years by thousands of Palestinians fleeing the conflict in Syria.

"A member from al-Shabab al-Muslim group was killed, and a leader in the group was among the wounded," said a Palestinian source inside the camp, who requested not to be identified for security reasons.

The clashes pitted members of Fatah movement against Islamist groups in the camp, located near the coastal city of Sidon, the source said.

The incident happened about two months after similar clashes killed a Fatah member in the same camp.

Lebanon's official news agency NNA said "an assassination attempt targeting an Islamist activist" rocked the camp on Saturday, without reporting any casualties.

By long-standing convention, the Lebanese army does not enter Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, leaving the factions themselves to handle security.

That has created lawless areas in many camps, and Ain al-Helweh has gained notoriety as a refuge for extremists and fugitives.

In March, one person was killed and several others wounded in overnight clashes in the camp, that pitted members of Abbas's Fatah movement against Islamist groups in the camp.

More than 450,000 Palestinians are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon.

Most live in one of 12 official refugee camps, often in squalid conditions, and face a variety of legal restrictions, including on their employment.



Behind Sinwar’s Selection: Internal, Regional, and Israeli Factors

Yahya Sinwar participating in a previous march in support of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Gaza City (AFP)
Yahya Sinwar participating in a previous march in support of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Gaza City (AFP)
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Behind Sinwar’s Selection: Internal, Regional, and Israeli Factors

Yahya Sinwar participating in a previous march in support of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Gaza City (AFP)
Yahya Sinwar participating in a previous march in support of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Gaza City (AFP)

Sources familiar with the internal discussions that led to the selection of Yahya Sinwar as the new leader of Hamas in Gaza revealed several key factors behind his appointment.
Sinwar succeeded Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated by Israel in Tehran. Sinwar’s own ambitions, Khaled Meshaal's decision to step aside, and strategic considerations involving Israel and regional dynamics were all influential in this decision.
Hamas unanimously chose Sinwar in a decisive meeting on Tuesday after two days of discussions.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that most Hamas leaders abroad, including those from Gaza, the West Bank, and members of the political bureau and Shura Council based in Lebanon, Türkiye, and Qatar, participated in these crucial meetings and supported Sinwar’s appointment.
Initially, Sinwar’s name was not proposed right after Haniyeh’s assassination. The focus was on appointing Khaled Meshaal as a temporary leader until the Gaza conflict ended.
However, Meshaal declined due to health issues and unspecified pressures related to various foreign relations. Some noted that Meshaal was seen as more aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood than with Iran.
Sources revealed that Hamas aimed to send several clear messages with Sinwar’s appointment.
The main message was defiance towards Israel, showing unity within Hamas and dismissing any internal conflicts, including the October 7 attack, which Sinwar and Qassam Brigades leader Mohammed Deif masterminded.
This move also signals a return of leadership to the battlefield and reaffirms Hamas’ role in the Iran-led “axis of resistance.”
Sources, who requested anonymity, stated that Sinwar’s selection was primarily a response to the assassination of Haniyeh.
“The key message to Netanyahu and Israel is that by killing Haniyeh, a negotiator willing to make concessions to stop the war, you now face Sinwar, your primary enemy and a war instigator. If Israel’s government wants to continue the conflict, this is our reply,” explained the sources.
Additionally, the sources mentioned that truce negotiations are now in Sinwar’s hands, meaning Israel must negotiate with him. They also confirmed that with Sinwar’s appointment, the decision was made to resume ceasefire talks in Gaza, with Sinwar personally overseeing them.
Other factors behind Sinwar’s selection involve Hamas’s external situation and its relationships with various countries.
“One reason was to ease the immense pressure on the external leadership from mediators and host countries to expel Hamas leaders. Shifting decision-making to Gaza reduces these pressures,” a source, who asked to remain anonymous, told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“It’s easier to assassinate someone abroad, so choosing a leader from Gaza is the best option to handle the movement’s external challenges. It’s unclear if Sinwar’s appointment will succeed, as some countries welcomed it while others remained silent,” the source explained.
Meanwhile, Israel has vowed to kill Sinwar, using his appointment to justify military control over Gaza and the West Bank.