2007年VOA标准英语-Fighting Continues in Gaza Strip Despite Truce

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
15 May 2007

An injured man is wheeled into a hospital in Gaza City following factional clashes, 15 May 2007

Factional fighting continued for a third day in the Gaza Strip. At least 10 people were reported killed, including eight in one incident, during heavy fighting between Hamas and Fatah gunmen. VOA's Jim Teeple has the latest from our Jerusalem Bureau.

Fighting sharply escalated¹ when Hamas gunmen attacked Fatah forces guarding the Karni Crossing - the main cargo² crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip. For the first time since fighting between the factions³ began Sunday, Israeli troops at the crossing point fired on Palestinian gunmen.

Hamas and Fatah gunmen also continued their battles in the streets of Gaza, a day after the Palestinian interior minister resigned, saying he was powerless to stop the violence.

The Palestinian cabinet, which is made up members from both factions, has so far failed to settle on a replacement⁴ - agreeing Monday to give temporary control of the Interior Ministry⁵ to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a leading Hamas militant⁶.

Spokesman Ghazi Hamad says, for now, the priority is to stop the violence.

"The president has given orders to all security forces to withdraw from the streets and I think Hamas and Fatah have both given orders to their elements to stop all military conflict," said Hamad.

The latest fighting began after a senior Fatah commander was gunned down, several days ago. Tensions have been high in Gaza for a week, after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads Fatah, deployed⁷ 3,000 police under his control. Hamas has its own 6,000 member militia⁸, the so-called Executive Force in Gaza.

There are about 80,000 armed gunmen in the Palestinian territories loyal to either Hamas or Fatah.

Fighting between the factions has been ongoing⁹, since Hamas won legislative¹⁰ elections, last year. Earlier this year, a Saudi Arabian-sponsored diplomatic initiative, known as the Mecca Agreement, managed to stop the fighting and led to the formation of a unity¹¹ government made up of both factions and independents.

1 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

2 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

3 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

4 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

7 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

8 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

9 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

10 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

11 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。