Azzam al-Ahmad made the appeal after a Hamas militant and two Fatah loyalists were killed in clashes in the southern Gaza Strip city of Kahn Younis early on Monday.

The clashes broke out after Fatah gunmen "abducted" four members of its Izzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, overnight, according to a statement issued by the militant group.

A group of Hamas fighters surrounded a house where their colleagues had been held, the statement added.

"After the release of our holy fighters, a group of Fatah militants fired three bullets at the back of one of our fighters and killed him," said the statement.

In retaliation for the killing of the 23-year-old Hamas militant, two Fatah members were killed when Hamas gunmen fired an anti-tank rocket in the village of Bani Suheila east of Khan Younis.

The Hamas-led government also called on both sides to keep self-restraint.

Prime Minister Ismail Haneya condemned the clashes, saying that he has given order to the interior minister to put an end to the violence.

Mohammed Dahlan, Fatah member and head of security committee of the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), denounced the conflict which took place at his electoral district of Khan Younis, a press release from his office said.

Dahlan called on all parties to "adopt language of dialogue to avoid bringing more pain and ordeals to the Palestinian people."

The latest violence came two days after a meeting between Haneya and President Mahmoud Abbas failed to reach agreement on solving financial crisis resulted from Israeli sanctions and U.S. and European Union decision to cut off aid after Hamas-led government refused to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept previous deals.

The dispute over Hamas policy and control of security forces has intensified since Hamas-led cabinet took office on March 29 following Hamas' landslide victory over Abbas' long-dominant Fatah in the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections.

On April 22, clashes between Fatah and Hamas supporters erupted in Gaza City, leaving dozens of people injured, after Abbas annulled a decision by Hamas interior minister to create a special security force.