Three hurt as Hamas and Fatah gunmen open fire

HAMAS and Fatah gunmen exchanged fire yesterday as the long-dominant Palestinian faction was threatened with a violent backlash to its crushing election defeat by the Islamic militant group.

Hamas, whose shock parliamentary election victory changed the face of Palestinian politics and put Middle East peacemaking deeper in limbo, said it would hold talks soon with President Mahmoud Abbas on "political partnership."

But Fatah leaders have rejected a coalition with Hamas and thousands of Fatah supporters, including gunmen firing into the air, marched in the Gaza Strip in protest at the idea. Thousands of Hamas backers celebrated their victory in separate rallies.