GAZA CITY, 25 February 2007 — Five Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in the Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis in clashes between two clans late Friday and early yesterday. The clashes were described by witnesses as part of the settling of scores by people whose relatives were killed in violence in recent months. Four people among the injured were reported in critical condition.

The clashes erupted shortly before midnight when unidentified gunmen shot dead Mohammad Al-Ghalban, 27, an active member of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas in Khan Younis. In a statement, Hamas accused the suspected killers of hiding behind the cover of the Abu Kaware clan.

Early yesterday, four others were killed in a gunbattle between Abu Kaware and Al-Ghalban clans. One of the men killed was 75-year-old Ismail Sabah who was caught in the crossfire. Several houses were set ablaze during the clashes.

Palestinian security sources said members of political factions took part in the armed clashes between the two clans, one of which is loyal to Hamas and the other to Fatah.

But in an effort to protect the Feb. 8 Makkah agreement, both Hamas and Fatah did not openly blame each other. The spokesman of the caretaker government, Ghazi Hamad, denounced the latest fighting and accused some groups of trying to revive the infighting. He said in a statement that the Palestinian government is keen on abiding by the Makkah accord.

In Paris, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made a last push yesterday to win European support for lifting a crippling international aid embargo in talks with French President Jacques Chirac.

However, there were no signs of concessions by Chirac or any of the European leaders Abbas visited this week in their demands for the Palestinians’ new coalition government to recognize Israel before the embargo is lifted.

Asked after talks with Chirac whether he had received any guarantees of an eventual resumption of aid, Abbas only said: “We hope that the embargo will be lifted. If not, all we can undertake would be useless... and the Palestinian people would continue to suffer and the sanctions would continue to cause damage.”

Abbas said he was “extremely satisfied” with his talks with Chirac, and said France was ready to help “solve the problems between us and the Israelis.”

Before their talks, the French president welcomed Abbas “with great pleasure” and insisted that the Palestinians show their commitment to negotiations for a two-state solution. He did not make any comments after the meeting.

The European Union has welcomed the power-sharing deal between Abbas’ Fatah and Hamas, an effort to halt clashes between the two that have left more than 130 dead since May.

The EU insists that a new unity government must recognize Israel if direct international aid is to be resumed. Foreign aid formerly made up about half the Palestinian Authority’s budget.

— Additional input from agencies