Hamas has said it wants to end a bout of internal Palestinian clashes after its cadre attacked the homes of a security chief and the Gaza leader of the governing Fatah faction.

One of the main Hamas leaders in Gaza on Wednesday said it was imperative that the factions reserved their fire for their common enemy, Israel.

"The Hamas movement announces an end to all tension and threats in the street," Ismail Haniya told reporters.

"We must conserve our weapons for use only against the occupation... Hamas is not the enemy of the PA (Palestinian Authority) and Fatah," he added.

Haniya confirmed that the movement was working with Fatah leaders to end the tension and remove from the streets armed men from both factions. 

Prisoner Affairs Minister Sufian Abu Zaydah, a senior member of Fatah who hails from northern Gaza, said both movements had agreed to "cease all activity that would increase tension between the two sides."

"These painful incidents have produced no winners, only losers," he said after the agreement.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qureia also argued that Israel was the only beneficiary of the internal divisions.

"I believe that the Israelis are pushing us towards an internal war. We must protect ourselves from each other and be aware of these dangers," he said in the West Bank.

"We regret what has happened in Gaza. Hamas is not our enemy. It is the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority to protect all of us and there must be universal respect for the law."

Violence

At least seven people were wounded in the exchanges of fire with bodyguards after the attacks on the home of preventive security chief Rashid Abu Shbak and the head of Fatah in Gaza, Abd Allah Franji, security and Hamas sources said.

While the security sources accused members of Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, of initiating the latest violence, Hamas said the shooting had been started by the security services. 

Both attacks happened around dawn in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood of southern Gaza City.

The exchanges had imperilled a tentative agreement reached on Tuesday night between members of Hamas and Fatah to stop targeting each other.

PHOTO CAPTION

Senior officials of the Palestinian Hamas Islamic group Ismail Hanieh, right, and Sami Abu Zuhri talk at a news conference in Gaza City, Wednesday, July 20, 2005. (AP)