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GAZA - Four Palestinians were killed in Gaza today and Hamas said 15 supporters were abducted in the deadliest outbreak of factional fighting in the coastal strip in months, Palestinian officials said.
Gunmen killed a senior commander of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and another member of the Fatah-linked militant group in an attack the Brigades blamed on the rival Hamas movement.
Hamas' armed wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, denied being behind the attack.
Hamas in turn blamed Fatah loyalists for the killing of a pro-Hamas journalist and another man outside a mosque in Gaza City. Nine others were wounded, hospital officials said. Fatah said it was the result of an exchange of fire with Hamas gunmen.
Egypt stepped in to mediate the dispute and convened an emergency meeting of Hamas and Fatah deputies at its diplomatic office in Gaza, Palestinian sources said.
"This is the point of no-return," an al-Aqsa Brigades official said after the commander, Baha Abu Jarad, and one of his men were shot dead in an ambush of their vehicle in the north of the territory.
It was the worst outbreak of internal fighting in Gaza since a February ceasefire brokered by Saudi Arabia, after which Fatah and Hamas established a unity government in March.
Palestinians had hoped the recent deployment of Palestinian police in Gaza under a new security plan would curb growing lawlessness and ease tensions between long-time rivals Fatah and Hamas.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Reuters Fatah gunmen later seized a total of 15 of its supporters throughout Gaza, releasing one of them several hours later. He urged "all Hamas and Qassam men to go on high alert."
Fatah officials had no immediate comment.
BURSTS OF GUNFIRE
After nightfall, gunmen from the rival groups traded fire in the streets, engaging in intensive gunbattles shortly after fanning out to set up makeshift checkpoints on the roads and on rooftops. The bursts of gunfire could be heard throughout Gaza.
Gunmen from the Qassam Brigades and the Fatah-dominated national security forces fought on Friday in clashes that wounded at least six people.
Previous police deployments in Gaza have not fully secured the territory, which has sunk further into poverty and political disarray since Israel withdrew troops and settlers in 2005.
In another incident, three people were wounded during the funeral for the Al-Aqsa Brigades commander, medics said.
Gunmen later seized Ali al-Sharif, a Hamas official and scholar from the pro-Hamas Islamic University in Gaza City from his home, Hamas sources said, blaming Fatah.
They said Sharif was beaten then pushed into a vehicle outside that sped away. He was released several hours later.
In Jerusalem, Israel's security cabinet postponed a decision on proposals to step up attacks against militant groups involved in firing rockets at neighbouring Israeli towns to Gaza, pending an in depth discussion of the options, a political source said.
But Israeli leaders resolved they would continue a policy of pin-pointed strikes aimed at preventing rocket shootings, the source added.
- REUTERS
