Hamas militants clash with Gaza gunmen at health ministry

Violence has flared in Gaza against the background of internal clashes between the new Hamas-led government and loyalists of the defeated Fatah, despite efforts to cool tempers.

In separate violence early today, Israeli troops shot and killed an armed Palestinian who opened fire on forces patrolling the Israel-Gaza border, the army and Palestinian officials said.

Dozens of Hamas militants rushed to the aid of a Cabinet minister after he was confronted yesterday by angry gunmen, sparking a shootout that left three people wounded. Representatives of the two sides had earlier agreed to work to end the tensions, but the pledge quickly degenerated into new violence.

Thousands of Fatah activists joined anti-Hamas protests in the West Bank, hours before the shootout at the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.

The violence there came a day after Health Minister Bassem Naim, a top Hamas official, said he was cutting the monthly health budget to help alleviate a government financial crisis by halting payments for patients to get treatment abroad.

The state of Gaza’s health care system is poor, and Palestinians routinely travel to Israel and other countries for treatment.