Bomb explodes on 3rd day of Palestinian infighting

GAZA, Jan 28 (Reuters) A bomb blast damaged the Gaza home of a body guard of Fatah kingpin Mohammed Dahlan today, as gunmen from rival Palestinian factions exchanged fire at the start of a third day of infighting that has killed 21 people.

The sounds of exploding grenades and automatic weapons fire echoed across Gaza City as gunbattles raged through the night, witnesses said. But there were no casualties reported in either the bomb blast or the fighting.

The clashes are the worst among Palestinians since the Islamist Hamas group rose to power a year ago, unseating President Mahmoud Abbas's once dominant Fatah. Efforts to forge a unity government between the two have so far failed.

Hostilities have spiralled since Tuesday when gunmen claiming to be acting on behalf of al Qaeda blew up a vacant Gaza resort, saying it was owned by Dahlan, which he denied.

Dahlan is tipped as a possible successor to Abbas.

In the latest skirmishes, Hamas gunmen and members of the Fatah-dominated Preventive Security Service clashed outside its main headquarters in Gaza, witnesses said.

Snipers took up positions on rooftops as Hamas and Fatah gunmen exchanged fire below.

There were also gunbattles outside the headquarters of the Hamas-led police in the city, witnesses said.

The fighting has brought much of the city to a standstill, with many Palestinian civilians holed up inside their homes.

A 6-year-old boy was among five Palestinians killed yesterday. Residents said he was hit at home by a stray bullet during a clash between Hamas and Fatah near the town of Beit Hanoun. A Hamas militant was also among those killed.

On Friday, 16 people were killed in factional fighting, hospital officials said, the highest death toll in internal Palestinian violence in a single day.

At least 48 Palestinians have been killed in the bloodshed that erupted after Abbas, a moderate, called last month for early presidential and parliamentary elections after inconclusive talks with Hamas on a unity government.

Hamas says a new vote would amount to a coup.

Hamas has struggled to govern since taking office in March under the weight of US-backed sanctions imposed over its refusal to recognise Israel, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals with the Jewish state.

REUTERS MQA HS1302