Palestinian gunmen battled in Gaza today for a fifth day despite Fatah and Hamas agreeing to a Saudi offer of talks in the holy city Mecca.
A Hamas militant was shot dead in a clash, raising to 27 the number of people killed since Thursday in gun battles between the Islamist group, which won elections a year ago, and the long-dominant Fatah faction of President Mahmoud Abbas.
Gunmen blew up a Fatah office and the home of an official from the group, while others bombed the headquarters of the Fatah-dominated Preventive Security service in Gaza City. The attacks caused damage but no injuries.
Hamas militants also abducted two Fatah members, including a local commander, Fatah officials said.
The violence has prompted some families to evacuate homes near the scenes of gun battles that have spread across the narrow, densely populated territory where 1.5 million Palestinians live.
The fighting, which has erupted periodically since Hamas beat Fatah in a parliamentary election last January, has derailed unity talks between the groups.
Yesterday, Saudi Arabia invited the feuding Palestinian factions for urgent talks in Mecca. Both sides agreed to attend the meeting but no date was set.
In all, 57 Palestinians have died in infighting since Mr Abbas, a moderate, called last month for early presidential and parliamentary elections after inconclusive talks with Hamas on a unity government. Hamas says the voting would amount to a coup.