Clashes on Tuesday violated a fragile ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon, after days of fighting that killed at least 7 people, at a time when Beirut is witnessing visits by leaders of Palestinian organizations seeking to end tensions.
Ain al-Hilweh camp, located on the outskirts of the city of Sidon, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, has been witnessing sporadic clashes since last Thursday between Fatah and Islamist factions.
These battles came after weeks of violent confrontations between the two sides, the most violent in years, which resulted in the death of 13 people, including a Fatah leader in an ambush, and these clashes calmed down after a series of contacts between Palestinian factions, officials and Lebanese parties.
Imad Hallaq, media director of the Palestinian Red Crescent-Lebanon Region, said that the toll of battles over the past few days reached 7 dead and more than 80 wounded, noting that the victims were militants and civilians.
Last Monday, the official National News Agency quoted the General Directorate of General Security as saying that an "immediate and permanent ceasefire" had been reached, after a meeting between the acting director-general, Major General Elias al-Beysri, the head of the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee, Bassel al-Hassan, and a number of representatives of factions and actors in the camp.
But an AFP correspondent in Saida said on Tuesday afternoon there had been gunfire and sporadic clashes in the camp.
In a statement published by the National News Agency, Fatah confirmed its commitment to the ceasefire "again after it thwarted the attack in the Tiri neighborhood (inside the camp) and caused injuries," stressing that it "will continue to deal with any terrorist group that is monitored."
In light of the tensions, Beirut is witnessing visits by officials from several organizations, especially Fatah and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The Lebanese news agency confirmed the arrival of Musa Abu Marzouq, deputy head of Hamas, abroad "on a visit lasting several days, to discuss the development of the situation in the Palestinian camps," to meet "Lebanese officials and representatives of the Palestinian factions; to try to contain the situation in the camp."
Abu Marzouq's visit comes at a time when Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah's Executive Committee and Fatah's Central Committee, is in Beirut.
Ein al-Hilweh camp is known for sheltering Islamist factions and outlaws, and is home to more than 54,<> UN-registered Palestinian refugees, joined in recent years by thousands of Palestinians fleeing the conflict in Syria.
The camp is often the scene of assassinations, and sometimes clashes between Palestinian and Islamist factions.