Rival factions killed more than two dozen people Tuesday in bitter fighting that has left Gaza sliding into chaos, Palestinian officials said.
As Fatah radio called on fighters to confront Hamas militants and broadcasts from Hamas fighters urged their Fatah foes to abandon their posts or face death, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed in vain for a cease-fire.
"If anybody thinks that we will be a winner out of this fire, I think they're wrong," said Palestinian official Saeb Erakat. "If this fire continues, it will burn all of us. Nobody stands to gain anything." Abbas' Fatah group dominated Palestinian politics for decades until last year, when Hamas won legislative elections.
Erakat -- an Abbas ally-- called this week's clashes "the worst I have ever seen."
Hundreds of Hamas gunmen surrounded a Fatah base in northern Gaza near the Jabalya refugee camp and launched an attack, Palestinian security sources said.
The commander of the Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades was killed in the fighting, the sources said.
Palestinian medical sources said Tuesday 10 members of the Fatah-affiliated National Guard and 11 Hamas gunmen were killed. More than 80 people have died in factional fighting since the latest flare-up began last month
Four other Palestinians died in Tuesday morning clashes in Gaza City and Khan Younis, medical sources said.
As Fatah radio called on fighters to confront Hamas militants and broadcasts from Hamas fighters urged their Fatah foes to abandon their posts or face death, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed in vain for a cease-fire.
"If anybody thinks that we will be a winner out of this fire, I think they're wrong," said Palestinian official Saeb Erakat. "If this fire continues, it will burn all of us. Nobody stands to gain anything." Abbas' Fatah group dominated Palestinian politics for decades until last year, when Hamas won legislative elections.
Erakat -- an Abbas ally-- called this week's clashes "the worst I have ever seen."
Hundreds of Hamas gunmen surrounded a Fatah base in northern Gaza near the Jabalya refugee camp and launched an attack, Palestinian security sources said.
The commander of the Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades was killed in the fighting, the sources said.
Palestinian medical sources said Tuesday 10 members of the Fatah-affiliated National Guard and 11 Hamas gunmen were killed. More than 80 people have died in factional fighting since the latest flare-up began last month
Four other Palestinians died in Tuesday morning clashes in Gaza City and Khan Younis, medical sources said.
CNN's Talal Abu-Rahman in Gaza and Kevin Flower contributed to this report.
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