2 Palestinians killed during funeral in Lebanon refugee camp
Lebanon's state news agency says two Palestinians were killed when gunfire broke out during the funeral of a Hamas member killed in days earlier in a refugee camp
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
At least two Palestinians were killed and several injured after gunfire broke out during the Sunday funeral of a Hamas member killed in a refugee camp days earlier, Lebanon s state news agency, Palestinian and Lebanese officials said.
The National News Agency said two were killed and seven were injured when what it described as an “altercation” broke out during the Hamas-organized funeral.
The source of the gunfire was not immediately clear in the tense Burj Shamali camp, which was rocked by a series of explosions late Friday that killed the Hamas member. The cause of the explosions was also disputed. The Palestinian Hamas group said an electrical short-circuit in a storage area for oxygen bottles caused the blast.
But a Lebanese security official said the explosion happened in an ammunition depot. NNA had also reported an explosion in a Hamas arms warehouse in the camp, saying a number were killed and injured.
Sunday's funeral for Hamza Chahine drew scores of mourners. Before his body arrived at the burial site, gunfire broke out and it was not immediately clear what caused it.
Lebanese security forces don’t operate inside the refugee camps, where security is in the hands of Palestinian factions who often compete for clout.
A Lebanese security official said reports from the camp suggest clashes broke out between rival Palestinian factions during the funeral.
One Palestinian official said infiltrators used the occasion to shoot at the mourners. He said one of the injured is in critical condition. Another Palestinian official said during a 21-gun-salute for the deceased, errant shots killed two of the mourners. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.
Lebanon is home to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants. Many live in the 12 refugee camps that are scattered around the small Mediterranean country.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.