Forget about saying it with flowers or go to jail…

The Hamas – Fatah strifle keeps heating up in the Gaza Strip. Actually, it only nominally cooled down once Hamas' ascension to power was consolidated. The thing one should always keep in mind when looking at the Hamas-Fatah divide is how really tribal the how Hamas-Fatah dictate is. One generally does not become a Hamas or Fatah loyalist because of the appeal of any particular platform issue of either party but because one's clans leans that way. Anyhoo, the current Hamas – Fatah infighting has now extended its reach into how one shows consolation for the sick. Arutz Sheva is reporting.

Hamas has forbidden Palestinian Authority (PA) residents from "bringing flowers" or otherwise expressing consolation to someone who is sick or wounded in Gaza, if the visitor identifies himself as a Fatah member.According to Fatah sources quoted in a report published Tuesday in the PA newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's faction was declared an "illegal organization" by the ruling rival Hamas terrorist group.

Hamas "threatened them with kidnapping and torture should any activities on behalf of the movement be carried out in the [Gaza] Strip, even in the case of humanitarian activities," said the report, which was translated by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) watchdog organization. "The [Fatah] movement has revealed that Hamas has summoned a number of Fatah activists for interrogation and warned them of the consequences of helping any sick or wounded [person] or expressing consolation to any person, if they identify themselves as members of the Fatah movement.

"Fatah added that Hamas has warned the people of the movement [working] in the field and who carry out social and humanitarian activities and forbidden them [to perform] any social activities, sports activities and to bring humanitarian aid to [those who] need it. ...

"The sources pointed out that the activists have been subjected to threats and have been updated on the prohibition against issuing any consolation announcements of any kind, be it signs, bringing roses to the sick or any greeting in the name of Fatah.

In other Gaza Strip hardship news (outside of secret prisons) apparently there is a shekel shortage. Perish the fracking thought!