9 Palestinians killed in clashes across Gaza

Gaza, Jan 27: Rival Palestinian factions clashed in the Gaza Strip today, killing nine people and wounding 20 in a wave of bombing and shootings, and a Fatah-linked militant group said it had captured 24 Hamas hostages.

Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said it seized the Hamas supporters in Gaza and the West Bank and threatened a ''severe response'' if Hamas gunmen hurt a senior Fatah militant besieged in Gaza.

Residents said gunfire echoed across Gaza late today and both Hamas and Fatah forces deployed on the streets. Two rocket-propelled grenades were fired at Fatah's Preventive Security headquarters in Gaza City.

The mounting violence forced the postponement of talks to form a coalition government which could ease a U S-led boycott imposed after Hamas won Palestinian elections last January.

''The entire dialogue could explode,'' Fatah spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa said, blaming Hamas for the violence. ''How can dialogue go on when there is a bomb underneath the table?'' The talks were put off to Sunday from today.

Five Hamas supporters, a militant from Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and three bystanders were killed in violence which began with a bombing last night and continued with a spate of shootings today.

The fighting coincided with a rally by thousands of Hamas supporters to mark the first anniversary of the Islamist group's election victory over the once-dominant Fatah last year.

In Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, Hamas gunmen besieged the house of senior Fatah militant Mansour Shalayel, who they accused of shooting a Hamas supporter earlier today.

In the West Bank city of Nablus, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades paraded a group of youths it had captured and threatened tough reprisals if Shalayel was hurt. One of the detainees read from a prepared statement: ''We, the sons of Hamas in Nablus, ask the (Hamas) executive force in Gaza to withdraw from the streets of Gaza and not to kill Fatah members in Gaza, because our lives are threatened.'' But a Hamas security source said the group's gunmen would not withdraw from Shalayel's house.

In the West Bank town of Tulkarm unknown gunmen shot and critically wounded a Hamas official as he left evening prayers.

Palestinian Infighting

Around 40 Palestinians have been killed in fighting between rival groups since President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah called last month for presidential and parliamentary elections after a previous round of unity talks broke down.

Hamas has said any snap poll would amount to a coup. But it has struggled to govern since taking office in March under the weight of sanctions imposed because of its refusal to recognise Israel, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals.

Abbas, a moderate, and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal pledged on Sunday to curb Palestinian bloodshed after inconclusive talks to end their power struggle and form a unity government.

Hamas leaders remained defiant on Friday as they marked the anniversary of its January 25, 2006 election victory.

''I can say that the parties which imposed the siege throughout the past year were unable to achieve their goals,'' Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a leading Hamas figure, told reporters after Friday prayers at a Gaza mosque.

Hamas leaders have offered Israel a long-term truce in return for a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, although the Islamist group's charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. Hamas continues to say that it will not formally recognise Israel.

Reuters