Palestinian Police Chief Gen. Alla Hosni announced on Thursday that the police have begun enforcing a ban on armed rallies in the Gaza Strip.

Hosni told a news conference in Gaza City that more police have been deployed in the streets, public places and near the Gaza- Israeli borders to impose law and order.

Hosni said the move was in line with an agreement reached between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 13 Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, to end armed rallies by last Saturday.

Hosni stressed that only the Palestinian security forces were allowed to carry weapons in the streets.

He called on Palestinian militant groups to abide by the agreement, adding that the security forces would be tough in implementing the agreement.

But the persistent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza to retaliate Palestinian rocket attacks over the past five days made it more difficult for Palestinian Authority to end Gaza chaos after the Israeli pullout.

Hosni made the statements one day after an exchange of fire between Palestinian security forces and Jihad militants on Wednesday night.

The confrontation erupted when the security forces tried to stop militants from firing rockets on Israel. Two security officers were injured in the clash.

Source: Xinhua