Palestinian Hamas security force members attend the funeral of their colleague in the southern Gaza Strip February 3, 2007. Fatah and Hamas movements had agreed on an immediate cessation of armed clashes in the Gaza Strip. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    GAZA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Interior Minister Said Siam announced on Saturday that the Fatah and Hamas movements had agreed on an immediate cessation of armed clashes in the Gaza Strip.

    Siam's announcement was made in a news conference held in Gaza following a meeting between leaders from the two movements at the Egyptian Diplomatic Mission building in Gaza City.   

    "We agreed on the immediate cessation of fighting between Fatah and Hamas, pulling out militants from streets, deploying official Palestinian police forces instead, and opening all roads after removing all roadblocks," said the minister of the Hamas-led government. 

    Twenty-five Palestinians had been killed and around 250 wounded in the infighting in the Gaza Strip since Thursday afternoon,according to official statistics released by Palestinian Ministry of Health.

    That brought the total death toll in last ten days of factional violence to 60, according to the health ministry figures.  

    Efforts to end the infighting had failed for several times, which was marked by the scuppering of an shaky ceasefire sponsored by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya and the Egyptians on Tuesday.

    Haneya called earlier on Saturday upon both his Hamas and the rival Fatah movements to pull militants off streets, end fighting and remove roadblocks.  

    Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman from President Mahmoud Abbas' Ramallah office told reporters that Abbas would meet in Mecca,Saudi Arabia, with Hamas movement's exiled leader Khaled Mashaal next Tuesday.

    According to Abu Rudeineh, the talks between Abbas and Mashaal "would focus on reinforcing the ceasefire agreement between Fatah and Hamas and the formation of a Palestinian national unity government." 

  Related:

    Gaza clashes renew despite Fatah-Hamas truce deal

    GAZA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Heavy clashes resumed in Gaza on Saturday despite a ceasefire agreement reached on Friday between leaders of Palestinian mainstream movements of Fatah and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

    Erekat: Palestinians to pay price for factional fighting

    RAMALLAH, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat warned on Saturday that the Palestinian people will pay high price for factional fighting that is prevailing in the Palestinian territories.  

    Hamas, Fatah to restart cease-fire in principle

    RAMALLAH, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) - A spokesman of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced late Friday that a new Gaza cease-fire had been reached following the fierce fighting between rival Hamas and Fatah gunmen which left at least 11 dead on the day.

    Palestinian Fatah, Hamas agree to end Gaza inter-fighting

    GAZA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) - Leaders of rival Fatah movement and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said here Friday afternoon that they had agreed, under an Egyptian diplomats' initiative, to end their armed fighting in the Gaza Strip.

    Despite of the agreement, militants from the Hamas-led interior auxiliary force and President Mahmoud Abbas security forces continued fighting in Gaza Strip.

   New wave of Palestinian factional fighting leaves 13 dead, 180 wounded

   GAZA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Bloody clashes between Palestinian factions, which erupted in the Gaza Strip from Thursday afternoon, had left 13 Palestinians dead and about 180 others injured, medics and security sources reported Friday.

    Palestinian security sources said the toughest armed clashes and gun battles took place at the Islamic University of Gaza and the building of Hamas-led Interior Ministry in western Gaza City.

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