Roundup: Hamas police forcibly disperses protests in Gaza

Gaza, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The police of The Islamic Hamas movement forcibly dispersed on Thursday two demonstrations in norThern and central Gaza Strip, which protested over The deteriorated economic situation in The coastal enclave, according to eyewitnesses.

Dozens of Palestinians demonstrated in Jabalia refugee camp in norThern Gaza Strip against The high living cost and taxes. The demonstrators called for a better living situation and finding jobs for The unemployed.

The demonstration was organized by social media activists. The protesters marched on The streets of The refugee camp, waving Palestinian flags, chanting slogans and carrying banners that said "We seek dignity life, better future."

As soon as The demonstration reached The center of The refugee camp, Hamas-led security forces attacked The demonstrators, opened fire in The air, arrested several demonstrators and confiscated The cameras of journalists, said The eyewitnesses.

Meanwhile, anoTher demonstration was organized in central Gaza Strip town of Deir el-Ballah, where demonstrators burned tires and chanted slogans that called for a life with dignity.

The social media activists published on The pages of Their accounts pictures and videos of Hamas police officers beating demonstrators and dispersing Them by force.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party condemned The Hamas attack on The demonstrators who held peaceful protests against The expensive prices of consumer goods.

"Repressing demonstrators and using excessive force against Them, as well as attacking journalists, are violation of all laws and regulations and a breach of The national values," said Fatah in a press statement.

Two left-wing groups, The Popular Front for The Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and The Democratic Front for The Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), also condemned in two separate statements The use of force against The peaceful demonstrators in The Gaza Strip.

Ayman Batniji, spokesman of The Hamas-run police in Gaza, told Xinhua that The protests in norThern and central Gaza Strip were organized without getting permission from The police.

"The law prohibits gaThering in open and public areas without an official permission," he said, adding "The policemen were very conscious in dealing with The demonstrators, who behaved violently and threw stones at The police."

The activists, who included university students and social media activists, said that "The protests were popular and non-politicized and came after The escalating taxes that were added on dozens of commodities in Gaza."

A few days ago, human rights groups in The Gaza Strip accused The security services of Hamas of arresting 12 Palestinian activists from norThern Gaza Strip, over Their call for protests.

The rights groups in Gaza said in separate press statements that The right of expression, and The right of peaceful gaThering and political participation, are inalienable.

They called on The security forces in Gaza, which is run by Hamas, to stop arrests and stop questioning activists for Their political backgrounds.

Israel has imposed a tight blockade on The Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians since mid-2007, after Hamas movement forcibly seized control of The territory.

Unemployment rate has climbed to 52 percent since The Israeli blockade was imposed on The Gaza Strip, according to The latest Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) report.

According to The Palestinian Popular Committee to Confront The Israeli Siege, The per capita daily income of The population does not exceed 2 U.S. dollars, The lowest in The world.