An Egyptian official in Gaza Thursday denied Hamas' allegation that weapons has been sent to the Gaza Strip through Egypt to arm forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Thursday that trucks carrying weapons had entered the Gaza Strip through Egypt and the weapons were to be delivered to forces loyal to Abbas who leads the rival Fatah party.

"We ask the Arab countries to stop sending weapons to strengthen a side at the expense of another side in the Palestinian field," Hamas said in a statement.

"Instead of sending arms, the Arab countries should send money and lift the siege on our people," it added.

But General Burhan Hamad, the chief of Egyptian security team in Gaza, has denied Hamas' claims, saying the trucks were carrying food and medicine.

"Those who circulate these allegations are trying to draw Fatah and Hamas into arms race to escalate the violence again," Hamad told local reporters.

The governing Hamas and rival Fatah have clashed in the past month, especially in the Gaza Strip where some 30 people were killed.

On Wednesday, Hamas slammed an American decision to transfer 86 million U.S. dollars to pro-Abbas forces, accusing the United States of leading an international campaign to siege the Hamas-led administration.

Source: Xinhua