RENEWED fighting between Hamas and Palestinian security forces in Gaza yesterday raised fears of growing inter-factional strife.

Thirteen people were injured in gunfights and kidnappings at the Jabalya refugee camp, with Hamas destroying police cars with rocketpropelled grenades for the second time in four days.

The Islamic militants are furious at Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, for sending armed police squads into their Gaza strongholds.

Mr Abbas, accusing the Hamas gunmen of jeopardising the Gaza pullout, accepted their argument that Israel has violated a five-month truce — an accusation that Israel levels at the militants — but accuses Hamas of being suckered into retaliation by Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister.

“I believe the majority of the Palestinian people support this because they elected me on this platform,” Mr Abbas said on Monday.

Hours after he spoke, there were clashes after two Hamas offices were set on fire and Hamas gunmen exchanged fire with the Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Ten people were injured in the fighting.

On tense streets in Jabalya yesterday gunmen said that Hamas had abducted a Fatah official, prompting Fatah to seize their own hostage.

Preachers called on both sides to desist but many ordinary Gazans accuse the security forces of heavy-handedness.

The police were still in place on Gaza’s northern sand dunes yesterday, apparently intent on enforcing Mr Abbas’s orders not to let Hamas fire on the settlements below.

The two movements maintained an edgy stand-off — in one surreal moment both descended on The Times to give their versions simultaneously.

As an al-Aqsa Brigades fighter spoke through the driver’s window, a youth wearing Hamas regalia leant through the passenger side.

“We are against Hamas. We are going to step on their necks,” the al-Aqsa gunman said.

Abu Jihad, a Gaza City commander, said: “Mahmoud Abbas is the Palestinian Authority. We are not part of it.

There were unconfirmed reports last night, however, that the two sides had agreed to pull their fighters off the streets in northern Gaza in an effort to ease tensions.

Times Recommends

• Should Knox’s trial even have reached the courtroom?
• 'Was it real?' The US bailout nightmare
• Iranian opposition plays the long game