Palestinian Interior Ministry questioned on Sunday the Israeli reports that the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had asked Israel to allow a brigade of Palestinian fighters to enter into the Gaza Strip from Jordan.

"We should not get our information from Israeli news sources which always carry lies," spokesman of the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry told reporters in Gaza city.

Spokesman Khaled Abu Helal added that if these reports were true, President Abbas would be required to give a clarification.

Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported Saturday that Abbas, who heads the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Fatah movement, had asked Israel's permission to let a number of unspecified troops from the Jordan-based Badr Brigade enter Palestinian areas.

According to the report from Palestinian sources on condition of anonymity, the Palestinian demand was convoyed to Israeli via Egyptian mediators.

Bader forces consist of thousands of Palestinian fighters, mostly long-time members of Abbas' Fatah movement. The Jordan- based forces, belonging to the PLO, are speculated as would bolster Abbas in his showdown with the Hamas group, which runs the Palestinian Authority but does not belong to the PLO.

"If these reports are true, we don't have information about the role these forces are going to carry out," said Abu Helal.

"So we insist on hearing a clarification from the Palestinian President," he added.

The Israeli report came after a string of other reports that the ruling Hamas movement was boosting its forces in Gaza and expanding them.

Tension between the rival movements of Fatah and Hamas mounted after talks on a unity government deadlocked due to Hamas' refusal to recognize Israel.

Source: Xinhua