Three joint committees between rival groups Fatah and Hamas have been formed to avoid further clashes between their activists, a Fatah spokesman announced yesterday.

Abdel Hakim Awad said that field, political and press committees were set up following a meeting between Fatah and Hamas delegations on Wednesday night in Gaza City.

The meeting was held at the request of Palestinian Prime Minister and senior Hamas leader Ismail Haneya in a bid to end street battles between militants of the two groups for the past three days in the Gaza Strip, which claimed three lives, two from Fatah and one from Hamas.

"The press committee will monitor media and websites of the two parties in order to regulate their contents on professional and neutral basis and evade incitement," said Awad.

Awad added the committees are going to meet daily to receive field reports and settle disputes.