Gunmen open fire on Hamas PM's convoy

The incident in the Nusseirat refugee camp happened after Haniya delivered a sermon, ruling out any alternatives to a unity government advanced by president Mahmud Abbas for ending a political crisis.

A car belonging to a Hamas paramilitary force that is controlled by the interior ministry was also set alight in Nusseirat, witnesses said.

The sources said those who fired on the convoy were relatives of a Palestinian killed on October 1 in clashes between the Hamas paramilitary force and security services loyal to Abbas.

Officers from the Hamas security force returned fire in the direction of the incoming bullets, witnesses also said.

Haniya's entourage moved quickly to brush the incident under the carpet.

Government spokesman Ghazi Hamad said Haniya's convoy had not been targeted, but that there was only a clash between members of the Hamas paramilitary, responsible for protecting the premier, and relatives of the dead Palestinian.

"An exchange of fire between members of this family and members of the executive force coincided with the departure of the prime minister's convoy from Nusseirat," he told AFP.

"The convoy was not directly targeted and no one was injured," he added.

Unprecedented political and economic crisis since the 43-year-old Haniya took office last March has seen the Gaza Strip sink into insecurity aggravated in recent months by deadly violence between Fatah and Hamas.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed and wounded in such outbreaks of violence since Hamas took power, after thrashing Fatah in a January election.

Palestinian premier Ismail Haniya yesterday ruled out any of the alternatives advanced by president Mahmud Abbas for ending a political crisis other than a unity government.