"The Fatah's official attitude is that the movement does not support any formation of forces beside existing three security services," Maher Meqdad told the Voice of Palestine.

The denial was made after self-proclaimed Fatah spokesman Abu Jihad announced that the movement formed a 2,000-strong militia "to protect Fatah members from possible attacks from Hamas new forces."

Interior Minister Said Siam, a senior Hamas member, ordered on Wednesday the deployment of a Hamas-dominant security force in the Gaza Strip to maintain law and order in the violence-ravaged Palestinian territories.

Fatah loyalists have been enraged by the deployment, fearing that it is an attempt by Hamas to give legitimacy to its gunmen.