Hamas and Fatah trade bloody blows in streets of Gaza Strip

Factional violence exploded across Gaza City on Sunday, with gunmen shooting up the Palestinian foreign minister's convoy and militants launching mortar shells at the president's office in a wave of attacks that killed two people and wounded 13 others. Premier Ismail Haniyya accused President Mahmoud Abbas of inflaming the violent crisis by calling for early elections and declared that his Hamas group would boycott the poll.

Abbas on Saturday called for new elections to resolve the political deadlock that has paralyzed the democratically elected government since Hamas won parliamentary elections in January and took power in March.

On Sunday, Abbas' 4,000-strong presidential guard, backed by militants loyal to Fatah, took over the Hamas-run agriculture and transport ministries, moving to secure parts of Gaza City. Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahhar accused Abbas' security men of attempting a "military coup" by overrunning the ministries.

Earlier, Zahhar's motorcade came under fire as it drove near the Foreign Ministry in Gaza City. Zahhar was unharmed, but the attack unleashed a ferocious gun battle that raged for more than an hour in downtown Gaza. Zahhar blamed top Fatah leaders for the attack on him, saying they were "fully responsible" for what happened "and what will happen."

A 19-year-old university student was shot during a gunfight near the president's compound as she took cover and later died of her wounds, hospital officials said.

At least 15 other people were wounded besides the presidential guards in clashes, including a French journalist with Liberation newspaper, Didier Francois, who was shot in the leg.