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On 19 September, Palestinian websites report on masked gunmen attacking the Khan Yunis offices of the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, and wounding one journalist. The websites also cite condemnations of the attack by Abbas's media adviser and Hamas. Masked gunmen attack Wafa offices in Khan Yunis Bethlehem-based, independent Ma'an News Agency in English reports at 1405 gmt: "Masked gunmen attacked the office of the Palestinian news agency Wafa in the Khan Yunis governorate in the south of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon. The gunmen also assaulted Amro Al Farra, the Wafa correspondent in the Khan Yunis governorate after destroying the contents of the office and its furniture. Al Farra said in an interview with Ma'an, "a number of masked gunmen broke into the office and assaulted me in addition to shouting accusations and insults. They also threw the computer on the ground". He added, "The gunmen left a piece of paper saying that 'Wafa' belongs to the people and not to a particular party". Journalists in Khan Yunis denounced the attack against their colleague, Al Farra, and the Wafa office. The journalists called the action "immoral" and said that it has nothing do with the "strength of character of the Palestinian people". Abbas media adviser, Hamas condemn attack The official Palestinian news agency Wafa in English reports at 1335 gmt: "President Abbas' Media Adviser condemned the attack carried by unknown gunmen on the Agency's Khan Yunis office and beating up one of its journalists, warning that such acts will affect the freedom of opinion and press. He said the press freedom must not be violated, urging the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior to protect the media institutions, mainly those linked to the Presidency and the PLO. He mentioned that he contacted President Abbas, affirming that the President also condemns the assault. For its part, the Palestine News Agency Wafa condemned Tuesday the attack. It said in a press release this criminal act targets the freedom of opinion, calling upon the Minister of Interior to immediately move to bring the assailants to justice. The Agency asserted that "such criminal acts will never make us stop work to convey the suffering of the Palestinian people". Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Information Centre in Arabic reports: "Hamas denounced the attack on journalist Amr al-Farra and the Wafa offices in Khan Yunis by masked gunmen on 19 September. In a statement, the movement said that it views as extremely dangerous this attack committed by a rogue, cowardly group against the Wafa offices and its reporter. The movement also demanded a swift investigation into the attack in order to expose the culprits and bring them to justice." The report further cites Hamas as saying that "the attackers were attempting to exploit the political tensions in order to convey a certain message and sow discord among our people". Source: West Bank & Gaza Strip -- OSC Report in Arabic 19 Sep 2006
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