Disgruntled gunmen seized three government buildings in the Gaza Strip for several hours today to press for jobs, and warned they may resort to hostage taking in the future if their demands were not met.
The protest by gunmen linked to President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement underscored growing lawlessness in Palestinian areas ahead of a January 25 parliamentary election in which Fatah faces a strong challenge from Islamic militant group Hamas.
Abu Husam, a spokesman for the gunmen from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades who commandeered the rooftops of a court, and an education and governor's office in northern Gaza, said the Palestinian Authority had abandoned a promise to hire them.
"We may be forced to take stronger steps such as burning these offices or kidnapping foreigners to grab the attention of officials," Abu Husam told Reuters when the siege began.
The gunmen left five hours later after Palestinian officials had promised their demands would be addressed, Fatah sources and witnesses said.
Last week Palestinian gunmen held a Dutch and an Australian teacher for eight hours in Gaza, to press demands for the release of jailed leaders.
In a separate incident, gunmen from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian fired guns outside their offices in Gaza City as they demanded salaries they said they were owed. There were no reported injuries.
Internal unrest has been growing in the Gaza Strip since Israeli troops withdrew in September after 38 years of occupation.