GAZA CITY [MENL] -- Hamas has taken control over much of the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources said Hamas forces, some of them dressed in uniforms, have been manning roadblocks and patrolling the streets of towns and cities in the Gaza Strip. The sources said virtually all of Gaza's refugee camps have come under Hamas control. "This is the new reality," a Palestinian Authority official said. "Hamas is in control and all we can do is look on."

The sources said Hamas has been strongest in the southern Gaza Strip. They said masked Hamas operatives have taken over Rafah near the Egyptian border.