The intensity of clashes escalated in the evening across all fighting fronts in the Ayn al-Hilweh camp, where various heavy weapons and missile shells were used, affecting multiple areas of the city of Sidon. Stray bullets hit several neighborhoods and the southern Sidon highway as well as the Ghaziyeh area. Meanwhile, there was a significant movement of displacement from the camp to the city of Sidon and its surroundings, which resulted in the injury of two members of the Al-Homshari rescue team in the Buraksat area.
Due to the gunfire, security forces blocked the road from the south towards Beirut and rerouted traffic in Zahle towards the seaside highway. Ghaziyeh in the southern Sidon area was subjected to bursts of gunfire originating from Ayn al-Hilweh. The ongoing clashes have resulted in the deaths of 7 individuals, 3 of whom are from the Fatah Movement, and 24 injuries, raising the total since the fighting broke out last Thursday night to 12 dead and more than 110 wounded.
The clashes in the afternoon inside the camp between Fatah and Islamist factions along the Hattin - Jabal al-Halib front led to the injury of the Islamic Jihad Movement official, Mueen Abbas, and another individual. Reports also indicated the death of a leader in the "Reform Stream," Khaled Abu Naaj, as a result of gunfire.
In response, Fatah's media official, Youssef Al-Zira'ei, stated in a call with the National News Agency: "Our positions were attacked today by armed forces, which forced our elements to respond, especially at the Hattin - Jabal al-Halib front and the Tamir - Buraksat front." He pointed out that no progress had been made by either side on their respective sites, confirming that "what is happening is not a military operation by Fatah but a repulsion of attacks by terrorist groups."
He announced that "the zero hour for Fatah has not yet been determined, as the movement is committed to what was agreed upon today in the governmental palace regarding giving a timeframe to these terrorist groups and pressuring them through Islamic forces and Hamas to hand over those wanted in the assassination of the martyr Colonel Abu Ashraf Al-Armoushi and his companions."
In response to a question, he emphasized that "it has become clear that there is a foreign regional decision inciting to ignite the spark of sedition inside the camp to implement a destructive and deportation project against our people." He concluded, "The solution must come through a Lebanese-Palestinian process; we as Fatah and Palestinian forces have agreed with the Lebanese state to give a short timeframe for these criminals to surrender themselves. If they do not surrender, then there will be another matter."
### Hamas Responds
Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk considered that what is happening in Ayr Al-Hilweh camp now is destruction under the guise of "fighting terrorism" without any meaningful results. He stated, "We have tried hard to help those in a predicament, but the promises made to us are meaningless."
### Reform Stream Statement
The Reform Stream stated in a statement: "One of the groups, headed by the military commander Khaled Abu Naaj, responsible for maintaining security and stabilizing the situation, was subjected to treachery and gunfire from a group infiltrated in the National Security, led by the so-called Shadi Zaid, linked to foreign agendas that seek to destroy the camp and thwart all attempts at calming and restoring normalcy, which resulted in the martyrdom of brother Khaled Abu Naaj. Our groups dealt with the sources of fire and neutralized the shooters among the dead and injured. The leadership of the stream worked on restoring calm and stability, receiving a call from His Excellency the ambassador, who confirmed that this group is infiltrated and linked to destructive projects targeting our camp."
### Stray Bullets
Stray bullets penetrated a fire truck belonging to the Civil Defense Center in Sidon while the crew was extinguishing a fire near the army barracks, with damages limited to material losses. An explosion of a shell was recorded in the air above the Ghaziyeh area south of Sidon, and sniper bullets penetrated a commercial establishment on Sidon’s coastal corniche. The camp witnessed a series of ceasefire violations, primarily focused on the Hattin neighborhood, where a shell fell on one of the houses, igniting a fire. In the afternoon, the sound of two shells followed by gunfire was heard, leading to renewed clashes between "Fatah" and "Islamists" along the Hattin - Jabal al-Halib front, using rocket shells and machine guns.
### UNRWA Urges
Dorothy Klaus, the director of UNRWA in Lebanon, called on all parties in the Ayn al-Hilweh camp to cease fire and prioritize peace. Klaus wrote on her account on the "X" platform: "Unprecedented violence is destroying Ayn al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. Residents are fleeing without finding a place to take refuge. Amid the financial crisis, UNRWA's ability to rebuild is strained. An urgent call to all parties: ceasefire and priority to peace."
### Lebanese University Announcement
For his part, the president of the Lebanese University, Professor Bassam Badran, announced the closure of branches of the Lebanese University in Sidon until next Monday morning due to the instability of the security situation around its branches caused by the ongoing clashes in the Ayn al-Hilweh camp. He pointed out in a statement that the university will issue further statements based on the evolving conditions.
