GAZA, May 10 (UPI) -- Fatah and Hamas agreed to set up a joint security coordination committee for curbing and containing violence involving their gunmen in Gaza in recent days.
The agreement was reached at an overnight meeting between the leaderships of the two rival groups under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the Hamas-led Palestinian government.
Fatah official Ahmed Halas read a statement at a press conference in Gaza Wednesday which said: "An agreement was reached to set up a higher coordination committee which will appoint specialized local sub-committees to follow up the security situation, stressing the need to resort to dialogue in dealing with all conflicts."
Halas said leaders of the two rival groups also agreed to "ban the use of arms over internal disagreements," and vowed to lift the cover on any member who violates the law. They also agreed to stop mutual provocative speeches through mosque sermons, statements and the media.
The statement called on the Palestinian government to take the necessary measures to apprehend and punish those behind the violence which erupted between Fatah and Hamas gunmen in Gaza in the past two days causing many casualties, including three fatalities.
The coordination committee will include six representatives from each group and will hold its first meeting Wednesday night to follow up developments and ensure that all gunmen are taken off the streets, Haniyeh told the conference, stressing that the government "will keep up its efforts to impose law and order."
In another development, three Palestinians were injured by Israeli shelling on north Gaza Wednesday.
The Palestinian News Agency, WAFA, quoted medical sources as saying two of the injured are women whose wounds are not critical.
