The Saudi suggestion is just as unlikely to be accepted by Hamas as by Israel. Hamas' covenant states that "so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences" are "in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement", stating "there is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad".

Hamas targets Palestinian "moderates" as harshly as it targets Israelis. Hamas regards Fatah members as its enemies once Fatah moved towards a position of being prepared to negotiate with Israel. Hamas has been detaining Fatar supporters as it detains Israelis. There have been allegations of torture of unarmed Palestinian protesters who object to Hamas methods. In October 2008, Hamas announced it would release all political prisoners in their custody in Gaza. Several hours after the announcement, 17 Fatah members were released.( Hamas frees Fatah prisoners, Al-Jazeera, October 30, 2008.)

Human Rights Watch has cited a number of summary executions of Palestinians by Hamas, including the case of Muhammad Swairki, 28, a cook for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's presidential guard, who was thrown to his death, with his hands and legs tied, from a 15-story apartment building in Gaza City.

Tensions between Hamas and Fatah is called Wakseh among Palestinians, meaning humiliation, ruin, and collapse as a result of self-inflicted damage.

On November 12 2007, a large demonstration dedicated to the memory of late Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat was organized by Fatah in Gaza City. With over 200,000 participants, this was the largest Fatah demonstration in the Gaza strip since the Hamas takeover. The demonstration was forcibly dispersed by Hamas gunmen, who fired into the crowd. At least six civilians were killed and over 80 people were injured, some from being trampled in the resulting stampede.