Hamas protesters in Gaza's Jabalya slums accused the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority in Judea and Samaria of kidnapping political prisoners' wives.

"The protesters strongly denounced this behavior and considered it a cowardly act and departure from the ethics and traditions of the Palestinian people," a Hamas web site reported.

Protesters accused Fatah of doubting the effectiveness of armed attacks on Israel at all times and hoped that Fatah would soon admit that questioning the place of "resistance" is futile.