A spokesman of the Fatah movement denied on Monday that Fatah militants stormed the Health Ministry in Gaza and clashed with Hamas guards on Sunday.

Earlier reports said that militants of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Fatah, stormed the ministry's building in Gaza and confronted with Hamas guards. At least three people were wounded in the fierce clash.

Fatah spokesman Maher Meqdad told local "Voice of Palestine" radio that al-Aqsa had no role in the incident, adding that it was the duty of the police, instead of the Hamas armed guards, to keep security in the Palestinian territories.

"Even if the police are late, there is no justification for every one holding weapons to take part," said the spokesman.

Sunday's clashes came after over 20 Palestinians were wounded in clashes between Hamas loyalists and pro-Fatah supporters in Gaza City on Saturday.

The violence between the two sides was triggered by a dispute over the control of Palestinian security forces.

The Hamas government decided last week to create a new security troop and appoint Jamal Abu Samhadana as the general inspector of the Interior Ministry.

Abu Samhadana is head of the Popular Resistance Committees, a top militant high on the wanted list of Israel for alleged involvement in anti-Israeli attacks.

But Palestinian President and Fatah chairman Mahmoud Abbas vetoed the cabinet decision on Friday, terming it illegal, while Hamas retorted that the decision came within law and the Palestinian national interests.

The clashes continued on Sunday although senior leaders of Fatah and Hamas pledged at a late Saturday meeting to end confrontations and maintain calm.

Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, defeated Abbas' Fatah movement in the January elections and its government formally took office on March 29. But the security forces consist mainly of Fatah members and supporters.

The radical Islamic group has rejected Abbas' calls to open talks with Israel and honor previous Palestinian-Israeli agreements, insisting on Israel's destruction.

Source: Xinhua