Gaza: Armed groups to form joint force

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Twelve militant groups held a meeting in the Gaza Strip last week, and agreed to form a joint operations room to coordinate resistance activities, Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman told reporters Thursday. Speaking shortly before US Middle East Envoy George Mitchell delivered an update on the peace talks in Washington, Abu Obeida, flanked by representatives of the 12 groups, announced a "new phase of advanced joint efforts" for the resistance. The Al-Qassam Brigades claimed to have orchestrated and carried out two attacks on Israeli settlers in the West Bank over the past three days, the first killing four - two men, two women, one of the latter pregnant - near Hebron, and the second injuring two near Ramallah. According to the spokesman, the participating brigades included:

Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades
Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades
Popular Resistance Committees' Salah Ad-Din Brigades
Fatah's Al-Aqsa Brigades
The Al-Sa’eqa forces, also linked to Fatah
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's Abu Ali Mustafa brigades,
Jihad Jibril Brigades, also linked to the PFLP
Saif Al-Islam Brigades
Al-Ansar Brigades
Humat Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa protectors)

AWIP: Hamas claims responsibility for the killing of 4 Israeli settlers.