Security officers are seen as loyalists of Abbas' Fatah

The driver of the Jordanian ambassador was killed and six people were wounded in the worst internal fighting in recent weeks.

At one point, Hamas gunmen holed up in an abandoned building fired grenades at police. Others took up positions behind trees, cars and buildings, turning downtown Gaza into a battle zone. Some of the fighters carried rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Monday's battle was the most intense in a bloody confrontation between gunmen loyal to the Hamas government and the Palestinian security forces allied with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. The Hamas government deployed a 3,000-strong armed force last week, raising tensions.

The man killed on Monday was identified as Khaled Radaida, 45, the driver of the Jordanian ambassador in Gaza. Three bullets hit the windshield as Radaida was driving near the gun battle. The ambassador, Yehiyeh Karala, was not in the car at the time.

Viewers of Palestine TV told The Associated Press that they saw footage of two gunmen in Hamas militia uniform firing directly at the front of the car as it was moving.

The gunmen were about 10 meters away from the vehicle when they fired the shots, the viewers said. AP reporters did not see the footage themselves, but Palestine TV confirmed it has shot such images.

Under police escort, the ambassador was taken to the morgue of Gaza City's Shifa Hospital and identified the driver. The diplomat sobbed as he emerged from the morgue.

Toll rises to eight

Radaida's death brought to eight the number of people killed in internal fighting in Gaza this month.

Abbas has vowed to hold talks to avoid a showdown with Hamas

Hamas and Palestinian security forces gave conflicting accounts of how Monday's fighting started.

The Preventive Security Service, a branch loyal to Abbas, said Hamas militiamen stopped one of its vehicles in the street and fired at the car. Hamas said some of its members came under fire during a patrol and sought cover in the abandoned building, then fired back.

During the fighting, Hamas gunmen closed main junctions in Gaza City and with raised weapons ordered drivers to turn back. The militiamen closed a large area between the parliament building and Palestinian police headquarters.

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