Hamas held responsible for Gaza clashes

The Highest Following-up Committee, which groups 13 major Palestinian factions, has blamed the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) for Sunday's armed clashes between Hamas militants and Gaza police trying to impose an arms ban.

In a statement issued after a meeting on Wednesday night, the committee condemned resorting to violence in solving internal disputes.

Director General of the committee Ibrahim Abu Najja told reporters that Hamas refused to participate in the meeting.

The statement deplored the sorrowful incidents in Gaza City on Sunday, which left three people dead including a police officer and 50 others wounded when Hamas militants fired at police stations and residents' houses.

Abu Najja said the committee "condemned the killing of our innocent civilians by Palestinian gunfire. We really apologize to the victims' families."

He said the committee asked the Palestinian National Authority to carry out immediate investigation to find out those behind the clashes and bring them to justice.

Palestinian policemen burst into Gaza's legislative council headquarters on Monday to demand a crackdown on armed activists and lawmakers urged President Mahmoud Abbas to reshuffle the cabinet for failing to stamp out armed chaos in Gaza.

Source: Xinhua