al-Quds al-Arabi (London): War of Arrests Signals Fatah, Hamas Escalation – Egypt intensified contacts with the Palestinian Fatah and Hamas movements Sunday to calm the anger in the Gaza Strip, after an explosion on Friday night killed five, four of them Hamas activists. For a third straight day, the two rival factions continued to exchange accusations after Hamas accused Fatah of carrying out the attack and reacted by arresting 200 Fatah members.

Al-Ayyam (West Bank): Ousted Government Continues Crackdown on Fatah – The ousted government's security services continued to crack down on Fatah elements and other factions, raiding dozens of their institutions in the Gaza Strip and taking control of them. Hamas said most of those who were arrested following the "Gaza beach massacre" have been released, and criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' call for dialogue as an attempt to divert attention from the attack, which Hamas insists was carried out by Fatah elements.

Akhbar al-Khaleej (Bahrain): Hamas Rejects Proposal to Deploy Arab Forces in Gaza – Hamas yesterday renewed its unequivocal rejection of a suggestion to deploy Arab security forces in the Gaza Strip, saying such a proposal was suspicious and "shameful to even come up with such an idea from any party." Hamas also called on the Palestinian Authority to pave the way for national Palestinian dialogue to end the internal divisions.

Al-Mustaqbal (Lebanon): Security Plan in Tripoli in Forceful Use – The army continued to impose its control over the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, but conditions there have still not returned to normal, as some 790 families have been displaced after fleeing the fighting. Clashes erupted yesterday between the army and a group of gunmen, after which the group's commander, Abu Fadi al-Arour, was arrested. Arour had previously claimed in a televised statement that he and his group had received training from Hezbollah.

Al-Masry al-Youm (Egypt): Owner of Tragic Ferry Innocent of 1,034 Deaths – "Al-Salam 98" ferry sank on February 3, 2006, and the Red Sea swallowed 1,034 human beings, including 900 Egyptians. But yesterday, and after 23 court sessions, the verdict came to acquit the owner of the ferry of any responsibility for the boat that was carrying 1,417 people, in which 382 people survived and the rest drowned.