Hamas pressed by Israel and Palestinians in W.Bank

By Adam Entous and Atef Sa'ad

NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Ahmed Alhaj Ali's tumultuous week started with his detention by Palestinian forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and ended with him shuttling from safe house to safe house to evade Israeli arrest.

Since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip three weeks ago, triggering a crackdown by Fatah-led security forces and militias on the Islamist group in the occupied West Bank, Hamas leaders like Alhaj Ali, a member of the Palestinian parliament, have been hiding from Palestinians and Israelis alike.

Forces loyal to Abbas have detained at least 299 Hamas supporters in the West Bank in the last three weeks, according to a Hamas official. Security sources confirmed dozens of arrests and said some of the detainees were found with large caches of guns and ammunition and would be tried.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said 130 remained in custody as of Thursday. Security sources in the West Bank put the number still held at "dozens". Senior Abbas aide Yasser Abed Rabbo dismissed suggestions detainees may be harmed: "There are no illegal arrests. None of them has been mistreated," he said.

Hamas has protested at the arrests and warns of retaliation. Some of its supporters were taken away not by uniformed security personnel but by masked gunmen linked to Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant movement and other splinter groups.

There have been similar reports of intimidation in the Gaza Strip targeting Fatah. Hamas gunmen have brought members of Fatah, including the daughter of Abbas's intelligence chief, in for questioning. On Thursday Hamas deployed its forces to try to prevent some pro-Abbas public employees from reporting to work.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it has been visiting detainees in the West Bank and Gaza but, in line with the organization's standard practice, would not say whether any concerns about their treatment had been raised.

In the West Bank, some detainees said they were freed only after signing pledges not to join Hamas's armed wings and not to conspire against the government. Hamas is shunned by Israel and Western powers for refusing to renounce violence against Israel.