Suspected Hamas gunmen tortured and killed the head of the Palestinian riot police in a revenge slaying today, police said, triggering gunbattles between police and supporters of the Islamic group which left another four people dead and 40 others wounded.
The intra-Palestinian violence burst onto the streets in the aftermath of a devastating Israeli army raid into southern Gaza that left 14 Palestinians dead and a drew swift US reprimand.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah party threatened to strike with an "iron fist" those responsible for the bloody street fighting.
The violence started this morning when, according to the police, about 20 armed Hamas members disguised as national security officers set up a road block in Gaza City to intercept Brigadier General Rajeh Abu Lehya, the 55-year-old head of the West Bank and Gaza riot police.
They stopped several cars and when they came across his, one member shouted out, "This is the man," and all the other gunmen surrounded the police commander.
Abu Lehya was taken with his two bodyguards to the Nusseirat refugee camp south of Gaza City, where he was tortured and then shot 10 times, police said.
The guards were released and the car torched, police said. Police and witnesses said the Hamas members then announced by loudspeaker they had killed Abu Lehya in revenge for the deaths of two Islamists in clashes with riot police amid anti-US demonstrations one year ago.
The street fighting ignited shortly after the killing when police clashed with Hamas loyalists as they tried to arrest at least one Islamist militant who had allegedly fired on a patrol.
More Hamas members and supporters came to attack the police, with one of the militants shooting at the officers, injuring two of them.
Police returned fire and killed two men. Another two Hamas supporters were shot dead by police later in the evening at the entrance of Nusseirat camp, where Palestinian police forces were hoping to track down Abu Lehya's killers, medical sources said.
AFP