The Palestinian movements of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have agreed on an "immediate end" to all clashes and tensions between them. Leaders from both sides issued a joint statement aimed at bringing all acts of violence between the two to an end.
The agreement covers the closure of checkpoints manned by members of the two sides, withdrawing their gunmen from the streets of Gaza and exchanging detainees. They have also decided to appoint a joint commission to "establish why the incidents happened and come up with a radical solution".
An Islamic Jihad fighter and a 51-year-old woman were killed and some 30 people wounded when Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters clashed in the southern Gaza town of Rafah at the weekend. Another two people were killed on Saturday, including a 13-year-old boy, in fighting in Gaza City between Hamas-controlled police and members of the Hellis clan loyal to Fatah.
