18 Palestinians Killed in Gaza Fighting

Violence Among the Worst of Year-Long Struggle Between Fatah and Hamas Movements

Palestinian gunmen are seen outside the house of local leader of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades Ibrahim Sahli, not seen, in Nablus, Wednesday, Feb.1, 2007. The kidnapping of a Hamas city council member is part of the intensifying power struggle between the Islamic militant Hamas and Fatah. It was the latest attack on Hamas by the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent Fatah offshoot, that illustrated how easily factional fighting in Gaza can spill into the West Bank. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh) (Nasser Ishtayeh - AP)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 2 -- At least 18 Palestinians, including two children, were killed in heavy factional fighting across the northern Gaza Strip on Friday, leaving a truce reached this week in ashes.

The street battles between gunmen from the rival Fatah and Hamas movements brought the two-day death toll among Palestinians to at least 24. The two groups have been locked for the past year in a political struggle for control of the Palestinian Authority.

More than 220 people were injured in the fighting, described by witnesses in Gaza as some of the most sustained since Hamas took day-to-day control of the Palestinian government 10 months ago. In terms of casualties, the violence ranks among the worst in a year.

"I call on all parties in Gaza to stop these actions that harm the Palestinian people," said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, a Fatah leader.

The fighting, confined largely to northern Gaza, appears increasingly resistant to efforts by party leaders to stop it. Many of Gaza's streets, lined with barricades and echoing with the crackle of gunfire, were abandoned Friday as marauding gunmen torched meeting halls, security compounds and parts of the campus of Islamic University, which is affiliated with Hamas.

Over the past year, partisan violence has flared at moments of political stress between Fatah and Hamas leaders, who met with Egyptian mediators Friday in an effort to end the current fighting. After the meeting, Hamas and Fatah officials called for an immediate cease-fire and for all armed men to leave the streets, although it was unclear whether the order would be followed.

Hamas, a radical Islamic movement that does not recognize Israel's right to exist, deposed Fatah in January 2006 parliamentary elections that were supported by Israel and the United States.

The victory gave Hamas control of the Palestinian ministries, although disagreement with Fatah leaders arose immediately over control of the 70,000-plus members of the security services. Hamas formed its own security branch in Gaza, which is now involved in the fighting against the Fatah-controlled services. The movements also have potent armed wings, which often do not respond to orders from their parties' political leaders.

About 70 Palestinians have been killed since December, when Abbas, a relative moderate, threatened to call early elections if Hamas did not agree to form a power-sharing government that included Fatah and some smaller parties.

The United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, the group of Middle East peace intermediaries known as the Quartet, cut off most aid to the Palestinian Authority soon after Hamas's election victory. The Quartet, which met Friday in Washington, is demanding that Hamas recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by previously signed agreements with the Jewish state as conditions for renewed aid.

The embargo has impoverished the Palestinian government and much of the territories, especially Gaza, where a high proportion of the population relies on Palestinian Authority salaries. But Hamas has refused to moderate its position and characterizes Abbas's threat to call early elections, including for his own office, as an attempt to overthrow its elected government.

Abbas is scheduled to meet next week with Khaled Mashal, the exiled leader of Hamas's political wing, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The two made little progress toward forming a unity government during a rare meeting last month in the Syrian capital of Damascus. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia invited them to Mecca earlier this week to continue those talks in hopes of ending the factional fighting.

The rattle and bang of rifle and rocket-propelled grenade fire rang out across the northern strip throughout Friday, the Muslim day of prayer, and a column of black smoke billowed over Islamic University in the heart of Gaza City.

For the second straight day, Fatah forces stormed the campus and came under fire from the Hamas-controlled security force. After an operation there Thursday, Fatah officials said they had seized a large cache of assault rifles and captured seven Iranians, whom they described as "explosives experts."

Hamas, a Sunni Muslim movement, has accepted millions of dollars from Shiite Iran during the international aid embargo. But Hamas officials denied the presence of Iranians in Gaza, and Fatah officials presented no proof of the arrests.

Among the dead Friday was a commander of Fatah security services, who party officials said had been executed by Hamas gunmen. Health officials said two children, ages 5 and 7, also died of their wounds.