A midnight gun battle erupted early yesterday after a day of tense standoffs in Gaza on Thursday between security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and a new militia run by the Hamas-led government, competing for control of the Gaza Strip.
Two policemen were shot in the legs during the exchange of fire not far from the Palestinian parliament building, police officials said. Doctors said the wounds were not serious. A Hamas gunman was also wounded, the group said. His condition was not known.
The Palestinian police, who are mostly Abbas loyalists, were instructed by radio to respond with force to any attacks by Hamas forces.
The gun battle erupted near the Palestinian parliament building and police headquarters, symbols of the power structure.
A reporter on the scene said Hamas forces closed off the streets leading to police headquarters, the stronghold of the Fatah loyalists, and sporadic exchanges of fire could be heard every few minutes, half an hour after the clash began. Police were running to their posts.
Khaled Abu Hilal, spokesman of the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry, said unknown gunmen opened fire on the police headquarters from a moving car. Police apparently thought the Hamas forces nearby were responsible and fired at them.
A police spokesman rejected that version and blamed the Hamas-led force for starting the gunfight.
Abu Hilal said all sides were working to calm the situation, and Egyptian diplomats were also involved.
Earlier, Abbas ordered the Islamic militants to remove the militia from the streets, but Hamas refused. Officials in Abbas' office said he would not use force, fearing a civil war.
Abbas is the leader of Fatah.
During the day, about 2,000 Fatah supporters in military formation double-timed through a main street of Gaza City.
Similar scenes played out up and down the seaside territory. In the southern city of Khan Younis, a Hamas leader accused Fatah gunmen of firing at his house and threatened reprisals. No one was hurt.
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