A Palestinian government compound has been stormed by protesters in the West Bank after at least four people died and at least 50 people were injured in similar clashes in Gaza.

The cabinet building in the West Bank city of Ram Allah was stormed by supporters of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, on Sunday as clashes between rival factions Fatah and Hamas continued.

A room was set on fire in the empty building and no injuries were reported. 

Earlier in the day four people had been killed and at least 30 injured in gun battles between rival Palestinian security forces in the Gaza Strip.

Forces controlled by the Hamas-led government clashed with loyalists of Abbas's Fatah movement, as tensions rose over unpaid wages.

Said Siyam, the interior minister and a Hamas member, deployed his security forces to prevent further violence by striking police.

The police, loyal to Abbas, blocked Gaza's roads with burning tires and demanded overdue salaries.

Abbas urged "all members of the security forces ... not to participate in the demonstrations against the delayed payment of wages," according to a statement from his Ram Allah office.

Presidential building attacked

In Gaza City, Hamas loyalists took to the roof of the agriculture ministry and fired rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns at the presidential guard, killing one.

Islam Shawhan, a spokesman for the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, said: "We are going to beat with iron fists all those elements who are trying to sabotage the election process of our people, those who are trying to destroy our public properties and close the streets.

"We are not going to hesitate to take action against any of them."

Tawfik Abu Khoussa, a Fatah spokesman, said: "Nothing can justify this violence."

Ghazi Hamad, a government spokesman, said the violence was "regrettable," but that the Hamas force acted with restraint and was attacked by demonstrators.

"The protest today was beyond acceptable legal norms and turned truly into lawlessness," he said.

Paramilitary troops loyal to Abbas also clashed with Hamas-led forces in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Two paramilitary troops and two civilians were wounded.

Five members of the security force loyal to Abbas were taken by Hamas in Gaza City.

Ongoing protest

Abbas has been locked in a power struggle with the Hamas-led government of Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian prime minister, which defeated Fatah in parliamentary elections in January.

Most civil servants have been on a protest strike since September 2, with over 160,000 Palestinian Authority (PA) employees awaiting full payment of salaries.

An aid embargo has prevented the PA from paying full salaries to civil servants for more than six months, including the security services, though some wages have been paid in recent weeks.

The ability of the PA to pay wages has also been restricted due to Israel withholding customs duties and value-added taxes due to the Palestinians.

Such monies are usually distributed to the PA via Israeli channels, as per the terms of the 1993 Oslo Accord.

Israel has abrogated the accord in a bid to limit the influence of Hamas, which does not recognize the Jewish state.

Photo caption

Man injured in clashes is lead from scene