Deadly battles shatter Gaza calm

At least 13 people have died in Gaza after some of the worst fighting for months broke out between rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.

Two civilians, one a two-year-old boy, were among those killed, according to Palestinian medical sources.

The clashes erupted after weeks of relative calm and renewed efforts to form a national unity government.

Hamas and Fatah said they were suspending talks after the violence, which was continuing early on Saturday.

Reports from Gaza City say Hamas and Fatah gunmen have been exchanging mortar fire and grenade attacks outside a security compound.

More than 40 people have died as a result of a power struggle between supporters of the Hamas-led government and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction since mid-December.

Militants linked to Fatah said they had captured at least 19 Hamas supporters in response to the siege. Some were later freed.

Elsewhere, fighting erupted outside the residences of Mr Abbas and Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar.

Mr Zahar's home was damaged after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, security sources said.

Blame exchanged

Fatah said it was calling off national unity talks in response to the violence.

"How can the dialogue go on when there is a bomb underneath the table?" Reuters news agency quoted Fatah spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa as saying.

But Hamas laid the blame at Fatah's door.

"The Fatah movement continues to give a factional, political and media cover to the killers. Hamas has therefore decided to suspend all talks with Fatah," spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said.

The clashes came as Hamas supporters gathered to mark a year since the party defeated Fatah in Palestinian elections