Conflict Blotter

Great news Alan’s release. His composure and professionalism live on air just minutes after his release were remarkable. The decisive factor seems certainly to have been Hamas’ very credible threats to use force against the Dagmush clan. It’s a definite PR coup for the Islamists. It’s a concrete accomplishment and an irrefutable contrast between the […]

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Here are a few quick observations from a day’s reporting in Gaza City. Hamas has surrounded the Dagmush neighborhood with checkpoints and is checking IDs of everyone going in and out. Anyone with the last name Dagmush gets arrested. The Hamas Executive Force gunmen manning the checkpoints are talking tough and ready to rumble. “We […]

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Tensions between Hamas and Alan Johnston’s captors seem to be coming to a head. Early Monday morning Hamas nabbed Army of Islam spokesman Khattab al-Maqdissi. Hamas said they grabbed him after he opened fire on members of the Executive Force. The Army of Islam said he was leaving dawn prayers.
A few hours later the Dagmush-controlled […]

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Here’s the full text of the Hamas Ministry of Interior press release put out at about 2:00 p.m. this afternoon about the capture of Army of Islam members connected with the kidnap of Alan Johnston. More on this later.
 
 

Press Release
Ministry of interior

 
The Executive Force has arrested some individuals involved in the kidnapping […]

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