New clashes threaten Gaza truce

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Fresh clashes have flared in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, putting renewed pressure on a truce between Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.

A gun battle erupted between Hamas and a local clan in Gaza City while at least six people were hurt at a Hamas rally in the West Bank town of Nablus.

Earlier, hundreds of Palestinians rallied outside parliament in Gaza City urging the factions to stop violence.

In Ramallah, President Mahmoud Abbas urged all parties to respect the truce.

Unity government

Hamas and a local clan traded gun fire early on Friday after a spate of tit-for-tat abductions in Gaza City.

The clashes happened near the home of the Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar.

Unconfirmed reports say one civilian died in the crossfire.

GROWING TENSIONS 9 Dec - Mr Abbas suggests early polls; Hamas denounces the idea11 Dec - Three sons of a Fatah security chief are shot dead on their way to school14 Dec - Hamas PM Ismail Haniya's convoy comes under fire as he returns from Egypt, killing a bodyguard; Hamas blames Fatah16 Dec - Mr Abbas says he will call early elections; Hamas calls the move a "coup"17 Dec - A truce is called after street battles between Hamas and Fatah, but violence continues19 Dec - Formal truce signed, troops begin leaving streets <a href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6182969.stm" class="">Q&A: Palestinian crisis</a> Witnesses said up to 2,000 rounds and several rocket-propelled grenades were fired as the fighting spread towards the nearby home of Mr Abbas.

In Nablus, gunfire erupted when Fatah militants tried to prevent the Hamas march.

Two of those hurt were in serious condition, doctors said.

One witness, Tiham Tufah, told Associated Press: "We feel caught in the middle of a big war, and we are really afraid."

Fatah said Hamas had gone ahead with the rally despite an earlier agreement to delay it.

Friday's demonstration in Gaza City for peace came two days after two members of Fatah were killed there, despite the formal ceasefire.

The truce was called to stem days of violence sparked by Mr Abbas's call last Saturday for early elections.

Demonstrators urged both factions to restart unity government talks.

Mr Abbas said he was still open to the idea but his spokesman said there had been no preparations for any new round of talks.

Both factions withdrew their troops from Gaza's streets on Wednesday morning, on the first full day of the ceasefire.

Relations between Fatah and Hamas have been poor since Hamas won a shock election victory in January ousting Fatah from power.

But a Western aid boycott imposed because of Hamas's refusal to recognise Israel or renounce violence has helped create a political deadlock.

Last week bitterness spilled over into violence, with apparent assassination attempts against Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya and Mr Zahar.

Separately on Friday, reports from Israel say the military has detained about 20 Palestinians in overnight raids across the West Bank.