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Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/18/AR2008101800921.html
Hamas Hardens Grip on Gaza
[AP/Washington Post] Karin Laub - Hamas' control of Gaza is now virtually complete. Since the summer, the Islamic militants have silenced and disarmed their remaining opponents, and filled the bureaucracy with their supporters. Hamas now controls every aspect of daily life, from screening visitors at a new border checkpoint to running what the International Crisis Group described as a network of paid and volunteer informers. With nothing in sight to weaken Hamas' grip, the political split between Gaza and the West Bank - the two territories meant to make up a future Palestinian state - looks increasingly irreversible and is one of the main obstacles to U.S. efforts to forge an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.