Gunmen take over Gaza ministry

About 50 masked gunmen occupied a Palestinian government office in the Gaza Strip on Saturday to demand jobs, witnesses and a spokesman for the gunmen said.

The group, members of a political wing of the mainstream Fatah movement, occupied an Interior Ministry office in Deir el-Balah refugee camp, forced everyone to leave and stood guard outside.

A spokesmen for the gunmen said they wanted jobs.

"Our efforts so far have been fruitless, therefore we have been forced to take action," He said. "Today we are closing the Interior Ministry and post office to make sure our message gets through."

The gunmen left the building about three hours later after Palestinian officials agreed to discuss their demands, a spokesman for the gunmen said.

"We have suspended our protest after contacts with Fatah leaders and the interior minister," Said Abu Mahmoud, adding that a meeting would be held on Monday to discuss their demands.

The action, just hours after three British hostages were freed after being held two days by other gunmen, was the latest sign of growing lawlessness in the Gaza Strip since Israel's withdrawal in September.

On Friday, A Palestinian youth was killed in Gaza after renewed clashes broke out between Palestinian police and members of the family responsible for the death of an officer.

PA police officers take over Rafah crossing

Clashes erupted Thursday after a Palestinian family tried to release one of its members from detention, resulting in the death of a policeman and one family member

Earlier, dozens of Palestinian police officers forced the closure of Gaza's Rafah crossing to protest the killing of their colleague in Gaza a day earlier.

The policemen held a demonstration to protest what they characterized as the powerlessness of the Palestinian Authority and demanded the PA detain those behind their colleague's killing. The officers also want the PA to provide them with more arms and to recruit additional officers.